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Frieza Comes to Equestria

By Trixiefap
Created: 2022-06-28 03:37:15
Expiry: Never
safedramafunnyzecoramane 6dbz

  1. [Author's note: This story was based on a completely random prompt about, you guessed it, Frieza from DBZ coming to Equestria, around 2016.]
  2.  
  3. >"Lord Frieza, we have found a suitable terrascore 3 planet 650 parsecs from the H-345 system!"
  4. >The minion stands tall, arms straight across his sides as he silently trembles, doing his best not to piss his pants in front of the almighty emperor.
  5. >You take a careful look at his countenance, swirling the last bit of wine in your glass as you ever so slightly tilt your head.
  6. "Lieutenant... I appreciate the information. However, who gave you permission to enter the Lord's chambers, might I ask?"
  7. >At this question, he freezes up, only managing sounds of stuttering before he feels his flesh suddenly being burned and ripped alive, his only warning being the twinkle in thine cold, dark stare.
  8. >At the marvel of your own magnificent power, you find yourself with a small smirk, turning to the navigator amidst his spaceship's screen.
  9. "Navel, begin an analysis of the planet. I wonder if it's really worth that minion's life...?"
  10. >The one smart enough to stay alive works wordlessly as he begins to scan the planet that the ship was already approaching, doing his best to satisfy his Lord before he grew impatient.
  11. >A few moments pass before a list of statistics begin to bloom to life on both his and your screen.
  12. >"From what information I could gather sire, it's a T3 planet with a life diversity score of 5,200. However, it's picking up some strange readings on the scouter."
  13. "Elaborate."
  14. >"It doesn't seem to have any warriors with ki levels, but there's something there that it considers a power source. Maybe they're manufacturers of nuclear applications, or they hold resources unknown to us."
  15. >Now that is something that catches your ear.
  16. >It isn't every day you find such a nice little gem of a planet, but to have such interesting findings...
  17. >Yes, you must go yourself.
  18. >You've been cooped up in this ship for far too long, it's time you went for a little walk in nature, as they say.
  19. "Navel, prep the ship for landing. I want to see what the fuss is about..."
  20.  
  21.  
  22. >The captain gets word of your order as the one known as Navel leaves the communication, and you soon feel the ship firing its thrusters.
  23. >It's a subtle, quaint vibration. Enjoyable, if you wanted to stretch it.
  24. >Only because you know what follows soon after.
  25. >You wonder what you will find below those billowing, husky clouds.
  26. >Could it be a renewable resource that will revolutionize your trade to other empires, allow you to send armadas to other galaxies?
  27. >Or perhaps it's nothing but a bunch of frolicking ponies in a meadow that might have some sort of radioactive core.
  28. >Only time will tell, so you sip the last of your wine, setting the glass on the side of your throne as you stand up, going to retrieve your armor.
  29. >...
  30.  
  31. "RAINBOW DASH!!"
  32. >You are Twilight Sparkle.
  33. >And one of your clumsy friends has just crashed through your window with a big lump on her head.
  34. >"Euughhgh, you don't have to yell-"
  35. "What are you doing now? And... what's that contraption on your wings?"
  36. >Dash rubs her temples with her hoof, looking back at the wooden invention that crosses her wingspan.
  37. >"Oh, this? It's just something -totally- wicked that Pinkie Pie put together from that pedalcopter she made for my birthday last week! I was just testing it out until your dumb crystal palace got in the way!"
  38. >You roll your eyes, using your magic to try and shimmy her out of your windowsill, minding the glass.
  39. "Yes, because this immovable castle that's replaced my library is entirely at fault."
  40. >"Exactly!"
  41. >You sigh with exasperation, finally pulling her into the room to get a better look.
  42. >It was a wooden 2x4 cut into two thin pieces, tied along the spine of her wings with a tarp-like cloth expanding into at least 3 or 4 sets of separate wings.
  43. "So... from what I'm gathering here, it's supposed to make you faster?"
  44. >Now Dash gives you a look like you're the stupid one, and flares her wings a little wider.
  45. >"These babies are to help me turn ultra-fast! Sure, I could pretty much do 90 degree turns already, but imagine me doing a full on V turn..."
  46. >She turns to you and leans in close to emphasis.
  47. >"In the middle of a sonic rainboom?"
  48. >The room is silent for a moment, until you realize she was expecting you to say something.
  49. "Oh, uh... Well, wouldn't that be dangerous? That'd cause some pretty bad whiplash, wouldn't it?"
  50. >"Puh-lease, if I don't get hurt from stopping instantly at mach speed, you think a little turn's going to get me?"
  51. >She has a point, but it might be because physics don't always go according to your calculations.
  52. >"Besides, think of the light show! Instead of just a flat circle of color, it'd be bending and waving like a ... well, an ocean wave! Except A FULL RAINBOW!"
  53. >She was getting squeaky-voiced just talking about it.
  54. >If your friend wants to do it, then why not?
  55. >Who knows, it might help her in future endeavors.
  56. "Alright... Want me to take a look at it and see if we can't improve the design then? I have numerous engineering prospects that I've been dying to use and-"
  57. >"Whoa whoa whoa whoa!"
  58. >You stop mid-sentence, since she forced her hoof into your mouth.
  59. >"These are already totally awesome, just like me! If I need any weird gizmos on it, then I'll call you, 'kay?"
  60. "Mmhmphthmhp."
  61. >Rainbow pulls her hoof out of your mouth, shaking off the saliva.
  62. "Fine, but if you get hurt I'm not paying your hospital bill. You owe me for that window, too!"
  63. >"Ghh, fine. ... Hey, why's it getting dark?"
  64. >You look around and see a shadow being cast over Celestia's sun.
  65. >"I didn't tell those weathermares to put out any clouds today, 'supposed to be nothing but sunshine!"
  66. >The two of you start to approach the window, but you're interrupted by a door slamming open, and a breathless pink mare with a puffy mane bursting in."
  67. >"T-Twi!.. Big... Giant... Hum...ongous... Gi... gantic-"
  68. >"Pinkie, slow down! What's going on?"
  69. >"Ship!"
  70. "Ship?..."
  71. >You take the last few steps and move your head through the window.
  72. >When you look up, you feel your ears fall flat on your face.
  73. >The largest, most armored ship you've ever seen is crossing the horizon of Ponyville.
  74. >And it didn't look like any ship from Equestria.
  75. >...
  76.  
  77. >Quite the lush landscape, especially compared to the pitiful rocks that you've found your way onto recently.
  78. >It's quite sad, really. You would've rather enjoyed watching Zarbon and Dodoria tear into these poor sapient fools, if they weren't dead.
  79. >Oh, but you disposed of those responsible, just as you always do.
  80. >On that god-forsaken Namek, you bested your own rebellious monkey quite easily, and his 'super saiyan' friend without much more effort.
  81. >It didn't take long to crush his spirit after killing his best friend.
  82. >You wonder if there will be any contenders on this planet?
  83. >Ever since you've had to reach your final form, you haven't been quite the same.
  84. >A little less composed, possibly more cautious.
  85. >But more than anything else, you find yourself longing for that power again.
  86. >The power that's been so long since you felt it.
  87. >That little taste has reawoken your lust for battle.
  88. >Maybe that's why you're going in yourself, and not sending your useless goons out to purge the world?
  89. >Either way, as you strap on your armor, back in your shell of a power limiter, your eyes gaze out of the window, seeing a rather dark forest amidst the pastel colors of the rest of the world.
  90. >There's a clearing in the forest that your captain has more than likely chosen to land your ship.
  91. >Soon enough, the vibrations of the thruster go into overdrive, and you watch outside as the horizon dips ever closer to the window until there's finally a calm, and the sound of the engines dying down, eventually leaving one peaceful, silent moment.
  92. >That is, until there's a communication channel ringing on your newly equipped scouter.
  93. ><{Lord Frieza, are you sure that you want to, uh, dirty your hands with this? My army would be more than enough to dispose of these puny-}
  94. >You click the scouter's recon button and hold it for your voice.
  95. "Did I need you to convince me otherwise, captain? Do as your told and you'll leave this place in one piece, understood?"
  96. ><{Y-yes sir, Lord sir, Frieza! L-lord Frieza!}
  97. >You audibly sigh as you take your finger off, wondering how you managed to employ such blumbering idiots.
  98. >You begin to step outside of the Lord's chambers and enter the main deck.
  99. >The instant you do, however, your scouter comes back to life, and it begins scanning the area outside of your ship.
  100. "Oh, six targets have already approached. How nice of them to throw us a welcoming party. Too bad the piñata isn't going to be sporting much candy..."
  101. >...
  102.  
  103. "What is that thing, dear?! It's not a trade ship, it's not even anything close to what we can make, i-is it?"
  104. >The instant that UFO appeared over the sky, the rest of your friends had rushed over to the palace to get your advice.
  105. >You're sitting with your friends now, trying to come up with some sort of plan.
  106. "I don't think it is, but let's just assume that it isn't anything harmful at the moment. Nopony has any reason to do so, so let's keep an open mind."
  107. >An orange pony you may have mistaken for the background slams her hat down on the table.
  108. >"Twi, ah don't mean to be rude or nothin', but you do have eyes, righ'? You saw that ship? That feller there's locked down tighter than a peanut butter jar at a squirrel convention!"
  109. >Pinkie suddenly gasps at Applejack.
  110. >"I saw a squirrel convention once!"
  111. >Fluttershy was also a bit aghast.
  112. >"W-why would they lock up a poor squirrel's f-food?"
  113. >AJ facehoofs and looks at the two of them.
  114. >"There's no real squirrels, mares, it's one of them there expressions?"
  115. >They both make O's with their mouths, and you clear your throat.
  116. "Ahem... Continuing onward, while we have to make absolutely sure that nothing bad will happen to the denizens of Ponyville, we can't automatically assume that they're enemies. If we're diplomats of friendship now, don't you all think we should give them the benefit of the doubt?"
  117. >Rainbow doesn't look quite convinced.
  118. >"...IIII don't know, Twi. You saw that thing, it had huge fiery engines and you don't need that for any airships, so it's gotta come from outer space! And who knows what aliens might want to do to us?"
  119. >Fluttershy sinks behind her side of the crystalline table.
  120. >"A-Aliens...?"
  121. >Dash looks at her to nod, but she suddenly gets an evil smirk.
  122. >Oh, boy.
  123. >"Yeah, aliens. They might get out these big, long metal rods, and POW! Probe you in the middle of the night!"
  124. >The pow scared your timid friend, but the rest of it made her eyes wide.
  125. >"And sometimes when you're all alone, waiting for your butt to stop hurting, they'll send in a sucking beam that'll whisk you right out of bed, abduct you, and make you sing 'Ayy Lmao' for all eternity!"
  126. >Flutters starts shaking horribly, covering her face with her mane as Rarity pats her gently, giving Dash a curt look.
  127. >"That's quite enough, Dash! Besides, that last part is completely untrue! Where'd you even hear of that?"
  128. >"I dunno, I just made it up. So what are we gonna do, egghead? Give them a bouquet?"
  129. >You think for a moment, seriously.
  130. >If they are hostile, you have a wide array of magic at your hooves.
  131. >And if worst comes to worst, you have your friends with you to use that harmonic energy that was summoned when you fought against Tirek...
  132. >Although, they could just as well be friendly, and you have to be prepared for that.
  133. >In fact...
  134. "You know what, Dash? I think we -are- going to give them a bouquet."
  135. >Your five friends looks at you with varying levels of confusion.
  136. "We have plenty of defenses set in place in case they're not too friendly, but we have to give a good impression."
  137. >You get out of your throne, and start walking for the exit with a silent Spike at your side.
  138. >"They might have an armored ship, but that doesn't mean they're bad. They might have to make their ships like that to travel through space, or they don't have very nice neighbors. Either way, whatever the case may be, we have to be there to welcome them to our home. We are examples of what it means to have friendship, right?"
  139. >>>>>"Yeah!"
  140. "Then let's pony up, and move out!"
  141. >You lead your band out of the palace as many of the inhabitants of Ponyville look on towards you, wondering what you were going to do.
  142. >You do your best to give them all warm smiles as you head out for where this ship has supposedly landed.
  143. >In the Everfree Forest.
  144. >You hope they can handle themselves in such a dangerous area.
  145. >It only makes you go faster!
  146. >As the citizens see yours and your friends' confidence, they start to look relieved and even happy, some beginning to gather picnic baskets, flowers and music instruments in hopes to welcome the newcomers properly.
  147. >Pinkie looks absolutely ecstatic.
  148. >"We're gonna have a WHOLE NEW WELCOMING PARTY! Ooh, we didn't bake any cake! I need to go make some cake for them they would be so sad if they didn't get any cake, or ice cream! OOH, CHEESECAKE!"
  149. >As Pinkie starts to rush out of formation, Mr. and Mrs. Cake suddenly stop by near her, carrying a bounty of desserts on their backs.
  150. >"Don't worry your snout, Pinkie, we gotcha covered!"
  151. >Her eyes light up like the Summer Sun Festival, and your friends look a lot more sure of themselves than before.
  152. >You can only hope your hunch is right.
  153. >...
  154.  
  155. >"Lord Frieza, the inhabitants of the area are approaching the ship. It seems that the odd readings we were receiving from initial analysis are concentrated in six of these targets, that seem to be leading the platoon. We await your command!"
  156. >Your scouter hadn't picked up the other miniscule power levels at all.
  157. >With a quick modification to the search properties, you now see 87 more targets that all have an average power level of... 10. Some stand out at about 50.
  158. >The six that you first found are fluctuating wildly, but you notice it's been rounding in the ballpark of 500.
  159. >Really, it's almost not worth your time.
  160. >But you know better than to move outside before knowing everything you can.
  161. "Activate our security cameras. Let us get a glimpse of who dares circle my spaceship without reason..."
  162. >Some of the staff scramble to get the controls up and running for reconnaissance, and one by one each plasma screen is uncovered by their platings, sliding away to reveal a ship-wide zone of sight and sound.
  163. >Now, up until this time, you were still sporting that grin when you first heard of this planet's existence, and the prospect of finding something new was exhilarating.
  164. >But when you thought frolicking ponies, this is NOT what you had in mind.
  165. >Some of your boneheaded minions must've seen the look on your face, because they broke attention away from you to see the screens.
  166. >There's a slight hesitation of silence before the entire ship erupts in unadulterated laughter.
  167. >It's jarring to see your scared-to-submission crew being so jovial about this... this...
  168. >You can't truly fault them for what has transpired, but you will keep order.
  169. >You raise your voice for the first time since Namek.
  170. "ENOUGH."
  171. >The staff immediately dies down and stands at a salute in your general direction, and you can see a few of them shaking.
  172. >You give them an intimidating stare as you try to think of a proper course of action.
  173. >If what your captain said was true, then what could have been the odd statistics may have been part of the inhabitants themselves.
  174. >These four-hooved abominations displayed to you.
  175. >You remember back when you killed Vegeta, how he had the new ability to suppress his ki level and used it to surprise you when you first found him.
  176. >These things might just be doing the same thing, but they're not hiding it.
  177. >Either they've learned something similar and are simply botching the process, or what they're giving off is not ki.
  178. >It's too risky to simply take one without permission or kill them, lest they destroy your ship or your crew trying to attack.
  179. >There was little fun to be had drifting through empty space in a half-destroyed vessel until you reached one of your colonies.
  180. >No, you have a better idea.
  181. >You slowly raise from the ground as your energy swells within your veins, and you drift through the air and gently fall into your pod.
  182. >One button later, and it detatches from its host in the center of the main hall, now floating with you inside.
  183. "Alpha team, ready yourselves. Captain... open the hatch."
  184. >...
  185.  
  186. >"HEEEEEEELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-"
  187. >"PINKIE, AH SWEAR I'LL BUCK YA INTO NEXT SUNDAY IF YOU SCREAM IN MAH EAR AGAIN!"
  188. >"Sorry sorry sorry! I didn't snap crackle and pop your eardrum did I AJ?"
  189. >You don't know what's worse; the way you're portraying yourselves to this ship, or the fact that that's the third time Pinkie's shouted out a random hello.
  190. >Some of the other ponies that came with you from the village turned back when they saw the ship up close.
  191. >You don't blame them one bit.
  192. >After seeing such a behemoth, well, your plan isn't looking quite as bright as before.
  193. >But you still shouldn't have any reason to worry, right?
  194. >You look back at your friends and give them a reassuring smile, to which they have mixed reactions.
  195. >Rainbow Dash was the most vocal.
  196. >"Hey uuh, Twilight? I don't think they're going to open up. Maybe they just ran out of gas and they're gonna recharge or something."
  197. "Er... gas isn't something you recharge, that'd be a battery."
  198. >"Battery schmattery, we've been out here for like 10 minutes basically knocking. I don't think they're coming out, so how about we all just pack up and g-"
  199. >She's suddenly disrupted by a high steaming noise, and you look back to see a new partial groove beginning to tear away from the ship's hull.
  200. >You smell some of the whitish smoke as it comes out, and it's just stale air.
  201. >At least they breathe oxygen, right?
  202. >You stand tall with the other five now lining up with you as the gate crashes to the ground, dropping many leaves from the forest as well as scaring away any wildlife.
  203. >The vibration from the ground might've dropped a few cakes, but you weren't focused on that.
  204. >From within the darkness of the ship, you start to see the hint of figures beginning to exit.
  205. >You hold your breath, getting ready to be the Princess diplomat that Princess Celestia has appointed you to be.
  206. "Hello, strangers! We're pleased to meet you all! I hope you'll enjoy your stay in Equestria as we've brought gifts and tithings for your newcomers! May we know... your... names..?"
  207. >You start trailing off as the first wave of iron-clad bipedal soldiers file down the hatch and begin making some sort of formation near the bottom of the gate.
  208. >They were like minotaurs, but most didn't have any fur.
  209. >Some were red or purple-skinned with bulbous craniums, and some had light apricot skin with dark eyes.
  210. >But what caught your attention the most was who you're pretty sure the leader is.
  211. >The one with horns in the levitating orb.
  212. >You couldn't find your words as you see such an odd sight, but as the leader finishes the formation and sits idly staring right at you, you do your best to recompose.
  213. "...Ghhuuuh-uh, y-yes, well, hello... This is Equestria. What i-is your name?"
  214. >The horned alien begins his first sign of contact by smiling.
  215. >You didn't like that smile.
  216. >That was a Discordian smile.
  217. >A Chrysalis smile.
  218. >A Tirek smile.
  219. >You manage to steal a look at some of the others behind you, but over half of them have turned pale by the sight.
  220. >Then, Rarity gets your attention and whispers in your ear.
  221. >"I don't mean to be a bearer of bad news, but I don't like the look of those arm cannon things on their wrists one little bit."
  222. >Before you're able to respond, the leader suddenly speaks.
  223. >You'll never forget the first time you ever heard that bone-chilling voice.
  224. >"Oh dear me, where are my manners? I am Lord Frieza. I'm glad you're so forward with us... It'll make our relationship that much smoother, hmhm."
  225. >You look back at him, taking a step forward.
  226. "Uh, y-yes, I'm very happy about that too, uh, my name is Princess Twilight Sparkle. It's an honor to meet with a Lord, such as yourself, haha..."
  227. >You have to be careful if what Rarity thinks is right.
  228. >But you still haven't given up hope.
  229. >Maybe they're just a military unit?
  230. >But then, why is their ruler with them?
  231. >"Yes... Twilight. I hope you don't mind as to grant us a favor, being guests in your humble home?"
  232. >You don't like the sound of that.
  233. "Well... m-may I ask what that is?"
  234. >"I'm looking for a certain few subjects on this planet that have been giving off a strange energy. Would you be so generous to lend us one of your kind, strictly for research? Perhaps, you?..."
  235. >So far your friends have been quiet, but at this Dash unwisely cuts in.
  236. >"Hey hey whoa, I don't know what you are but we aren't letting anypony go anywhere until we at least know each other a little better, alright?"
  237. >AJ cocks an eye at her.
  238. >"Dash, stop talkin'."
  239. >"Wh-"
  240. >You snap back to Frieza, who's begun his retort.
  241. >"I believe it doesn't have to be your, eh, Princess right at the beginning. One of you five could suffice as well. You seem to have abnormal powers, and we just want to do a study. Is that not a fair trade for allowing you free passage?"
  242. >That tone is what strikes it.
  243. >That final sentence breaks any hope you had of friendship, not with this... alien.
  244. "Free passage? What do you mean?"
  245. >Frieza suddenly raises a hand to which many of your ponies get startled by, but he simply waves one of his soldiers forward as he drifts back slightly.
  246. >This bipedal creature steps up and strikes a straight-as-wood pose, speaking in a much louder, more commanding tone.
  247. >"By sanction of Lord Frieza's Empire, the planet and its members are hereby placed under Galactic Martial Law!"
  248. >You and your friends all gasp at this sudden proclamation.
  249. >"Do not attempt to make any sudden moves as your inhabitants are thouroughly scanned for weapons and detainment! You have the right to resist and to face consequences by resisting, but Lord Frieza does not tolerate rebellion! Please come together and form a straight line in front of his Lordship so we may begin detainment procedures!"
  250. >As he says this, many of the soldiers that were in formation step forward, an increasingly louder humming sound coming from the devices Rarity was worried about, and they aim them at your ponies.
  251. >This can't be happening, can it?
  252. >Just a few moments ago you were planning a dinner date with Cadance, and now this?
  253. >Frieza speaks again.
  254. >"Now we can call off the detainment if you will cooperate, Ms. Sparkle, but I do not have the time of day to wait for a decision. What should it be?"
  255. >He seems so... nonchalant about all of this.
  256. >Like this was just a walk in the park.
  257. >What do you do?
  258. >Should you try and keep your citizens safe?
  259. >Stop him somehow?
  260. >For some reason you really don't like the sounds of those devices, and his eye seems dangerous...
  261. >What should you do?
  262.  
  263. What should Twilight do, everyone? She needs your advice!
  264.  
  265. >Okay, think rationally!
  266. >You don't have much time, so you need to do the best thing to help your ponies here.
  267. >You're pretty sure this 'Frieza' character isn't going to let you have any kind of free passage even if you relent to his demands, so you have to act and act fast.
  268. >You still have some leftover magic from that phenomenon with the six keys, maybe...
  269. >You look carefully at the five behind you with wide eyes.
  270. >They're scared.
  271. >AJ and Dash are back to back as some of the minions start to close in, but you don't know if they'll get hurt.
  272. >You have to try, do something!
  273. >...He might have some firepower, but if you use your magic you can get everyone out of here safely.
  274. >But what about afterwards?
  275. >With technology far more advanced than yours, they could follow you back to Ponyville within the minute, or even mere seconds.
  276. >But you have to try one last thing before you cross that line.
  277. "W-wait, Fr-- Lord Frieza!"
  278. >His only response is a more curious gaze.
  279. "Can't we talk about this like normal uh, sapient beings? You have no idea what we could be capable of, so I wouldn't suggest using any force on a planet y-you know nothing about!"
  280. >...In hindsight, that might've been the wrong thing to say.
  281. >Frieza leans in, his curious look giving way to a deadpan expression.
  282. >"Are you threatening me?"
  283. >You can't reason with that.
  284. >If Celestia said something like that you'd expect any other ponies to gallop away with their tails between their legs.
  285. >It looks like you have no other choice!
  286. >...
  287.  
  288. >If she wants to play ball, then you'll throw the first pitch.
  289. >You didn't quite expect these little primitive beings to have such a spine against obvious force like your army.
  290. >But then again, you've always liked it when they resisted.
  291. >It's much more fun.
  292. >But then during her tirade, you heard the little horse say something she wouldn't live to regret.
  293. >"-You have no idea what we could be capable of, so I wouldn't suggest using any force on a planet y-you know nothing about!"
  294. >Know nothing, huh?
  295. >You resist the urge to twitch your finger at her, which would most anti-climactically end her life right then and there.
  296. >But you can tell she is one of the leaders of this planet, and if you want to find any real data on this odd information you've found, you want to keep the most knowledgable alive.
  297. >But you must keep your credentials firm, so you simply lean forward and do what you do best.
  298. "Are you threatening me?"
  299. >Her face falls flat, and you can't help but smirk at her cheekiness.
  300. >All bark and no bite, just like those dirty saiyans-
  301. >Your scouter suddenly picks up something interesting.
  302. ><{TARGET: 800 / RISE}
  303. ><{TARGET: 1,200 / RISE}
  304. ><{TARGET: 1,800 / RISE}
  305. ><{TARGET: 4,600 / RISE}
  306. ><{TARGET: 9,300 / RISE}
  307. ><{TARGET: 18,240 / RISE}
  308. ><{TARGET: 26,750 / RISE}
  309. ><{ERR}
  310. >You immediately shut off your scouter, and you see two things that begin to annoy you.
  311. >Many of your soldier's scouters experience sudden percussive peroxysm, and proceed to explode off of their faces.
  312. >Those are going to come out of what little pay they have.
  313. >The second thing is that the one known as Twilight seems to be powering up.
  314. >You knew it!
  315. >They were supressing their ki!
  316. >However, you quickly realize that is most certainly not ki.
  317. >You watch with intrigue as the purple horse's fur begins to sport shades of light and dark stars on her hooves, and her mane begins to flash a new color.
  318. >Even her wings were beginning to gain highlights.
  319. >It begins to get a little bright, and you take a moment to blink.
  320. >But as quickly as it began, you open your eyes to find that...
  321. >They're gone.
  322. "What!?"
  323. >Every last one of them, at least a hundred stupid insignificant equines, all gone!
  324. >Your soldiers are as dumbfounded as you are.
  325. >At least, the ones that were weak enough to be injured by that explosion.
  326. >Ho hum, you're not even phased at this point.
  327. >You should have known they would've had tricks up their sleeves.
  328. >You have the means, now all you need to do is find them.
  329. >Giving the machinery a moment to rest, you switch your scouter back on to see where they might have run off to, as well as issuing the necessary commands.
  330. "Captain, give me any and all coordinates of the nearest living signals within a hundred miles. Let's not loiter around and find those damn equines. Be quick about it!"
  331. ><{Right away, Lord Frieza! In fact, I believe I found them... Whoa.}
  332. >You get a little more annoyed that he wouldn't tell you off hand, but it looks like he did not need to.
  333. >You stare ahead, and your pod rockets up without hesitation at your slightest thought, soaring high above the trees to see this sight.
  334. >It seems they've taken extra precaution.
  335. >They've forgone stealth for total defense, and there is some sort of bubble around their paltry village.
  336. >It was a similar color to the leader's aura.
  337. >If that's what you can call such a thing.
  338. >You switch off your scouter again as it was still wavering around the 20,000 mark, actually making you slightly impressed.
  339. >However, you know from recent experiences not to trust unprecedented increases, so you do not take it lightly.
  340. "Team Alpha, guard our ship. Team Beta... and you, Raspberry. Come with me."
  341. >Within five seconds, your men clad in the beta armor with a single alpha comes straight to your side.
  342. >With a simple flare of energy, your aura encapsulates your chosen followers, greatly increasing their speed as you begin your flight.
  343. >At a slackened pace, you should make it to the bubble's crust within the minute.
  344. >Against your better judgement, you dare say you might be having a little fun.
  345. >You'll get to shatter another entire species with your own two hands.
  346. "Hhhahahahaaahaha ha ha ha!"
  347. >...
  348.  
  349. >You're completely exhausted.
  350. >It took everything you had and more, but you have to keep up this shield somehow.
  351. >You had the entire thing up before anypony could even realize what was going on.
  352. >That's a good thing, because that means you were fast enough to confuse the enemy too, right?
  353. >You hope it's enough.
  354. >The first one to recover in your circle of friends was Pinkie, to no surprise.
  355. >"Wwhwhhhoaaah! That was sooo coool, you were like BPHEEEWWW and then just a little zap and you took the WHOLE TOWN TWILEY! How'd you do that how'd you-"
  356. "Pinkie, check on the others, okay?"
  357. >She gets up without so much as a second thought and shakes the leaves out of her mane, bouncing over to each of your friends, making sure they're alright.
  358. >You take a quick scan around and see nopony got hurt at all to your knowledge.
  359. >That's good, but you need to consider your options right now.
  360. >"Dashie, you okey-dokey-lokey?"
  361. >"Y-yeah, I'm fine..."
  362. >"AJ, are you super okey-dokey-"
  363. >"I'm righ' skipper, Pinkie..."
  364. >"Ooh, Fluttershy, are you super ultra mega okey-dokey-lokey?"
  365. >"Uuh, I-I'm okay, really.."
  366. >"R-"
  367. >"Fine darling, yes.."
  368. >"Cool!"
  369. >That's it!
  370. "Rainbow Dash!"
  371. >She gets up and shakes herself awake after that little fiasco.
  372. >"Huh, wha?"
  373. "I need you to find a paper and quill as fast as possible!"
  374. >She gets serious the instance she hears your tone, and nods curtly before setting off towards the palace.
  375. "Spike, are you okay?"
  376. >He was rubbing his head, sitting next to you.
  377. >"Y-yeah, I'm great. How did you go superpowered by yourself again?"
  378. "I just used the same magic from before, but it'd be a lot better if we all did it at once... Unfortunately we don't have time. Listen, when Dash gets back, I need you to take a letter for me, okay?"
  379. >He stands up and nods with his same old determination.
  380. "And I need you to do it really, really fast!"
  381. >"Got it, Twi. You don't have to worry."
  382. >The rest of your friends rush up, Flutters of all ponies taking the first line.
  383. >"Twilight, what should we do?"
  384. >You look up at your straining horn, doing its best to channel the shield spell you managed to learn from Cadance before leaving the Crystal Empire.
  385. >You're pretty much stuck here until the Princesses come.
  386. >You're pretty sure with their power and the power of friendship that you summoned with your friends, you might be able to fend them off and send them back to wherever they came from.
  387. >But you'll definitely have to be careful.
  388. "I'm not sure right now... I think the best thing you girls could do would be to check on everypony else, make absolutely sure they aren't hurt. After that, we just have to.... hold out."
  389. >"No worries sugarcube. Like Spike jus' said, we got it. C'mon!"
  390. >AJ starts to lead the group to assist the still standing village, but something stops her.
  391. "AJ?"
  392. >She looks at you with scared emerald eyes.
  393. >"Y-ya'll might wanna bolster that shield, there."
  394. >You look up, seeing nothing but dread.
  395. >...
  396.  
  397. "You there. Check the stability of this wall of energy."
  398. >A simple command to one of your beta soldiers sends him flying forward, imbued with newfound strength by nothing but your aura.
  399. >He should feel graced and blessed that you'd pass any energy to him whatsoever.
  400. >The underling raises his arm cannon hand, and slowly lets his fingers brush the outside of the shield.
  401. >Nothing happens, except his palm presses down like it actually was a wall.
  402. "Interesting..."
  403. >The underling backs away, swallowing the lump in his throat before daring to ask you a question.
  404. >"I-It's solid, L-lord Frieza... What should we do?"
  405. >It's like giving a menial task to the mind of a child.
  406. "Well, we shouldn't sit here like lazy bums, now should we?! Break the shield!"
  407. >He swiftly nods and turns around with the beta team, the hum of their cannons beginning to fill the air once more as they power up.
  408. >As you turn to stare down at the populous that had magically transported back home...
  409. >.... It couldn't be.
  410. >That's what this must be.
  411. >Such radiant lights with these capabilities?
  412. >It's just like the dragon on Namek!
  413. >If that's true...
  414. >If that's true, then they might have their own set of dragon balls here!
  415. >If not, at least something that could be an allegory.
  416. >That must be what your analysis picked up.
  417. >And maybe, just maybe...
  418. >It's those six.
  419. "...Immortality is in my grasp once again...!"
  420. >You realize you said that outloud, but the sudden firing of the cannons drowned out your mutterance of brilliance.
  421. >Golden streaks of energy rocket out of the devices on their arms, beginning to barrage the shield from under them.
  422. >As the first blast hits, a wave of mixture of magic and energy begins a chain reaction ripple throughout the entire shield, but as the rest of them hit, it might as well be them firing at you.
  423. >It was virtually impenetrable.
  424. >Yes, if their magic can do this, then surely they have powers at their greatest capable of wishing...
  425. >Even if you're wrong, such a planet is going to be worth more than any other specimen you've ever sold.
  426. >It'll make your previous status look positively shaggy if you can manage to keep these horses with the horns alive.
  427. >Hopefully that can be arranged.
  428. >As for the rest...
  429. >Well, to say the least, the blasts are making you just a little bit impatient.
  430. "That's quite enough, boys."
  431. >You say it just commanding enough for them to hear, and the look back at you while deactivating their cannons.
  432. >The shield has held steadfast.
  433. "It's painfully obvious that your substitutes are too insignificant for such a shield."
  434. >Your pod begins to rise slowly, your aura raising off of them as you begin to fly high above the shield.
  435. "Normally I would not do this, but this planet's potential is far greater than your peon minds could grasp. I will take this into my own hands!"
  436. >You raise said hand, with one index finger extended high above you.
  437. >Watching the crowds below, you see the orange mare with the hat look up at you.
  438. >You return a devilish simper, as your finger begins to crackle to life.
  439. >Power once again floods through your veins, as your aura erupts around your entire form.
  440. >Greater, more powerful ki wells up from within the core of your being, and a dark violet sphere begins to eminate from the tip of your finger.
  441. >At this point, most everyone below is now looking, including the eponymous Twilight.
  442. >She acts as if you are doing this to them.
  443. >Pah! If she had just done what you said, she wouldn't have to deal with this.
  444. >It's not like you're stupid enough to kill her now, oh no.
  445. >With your newfound vigor in eternal life, she's far too valuable!
  446. >As soon as her shield breaks, you'll dispell your blast.
  447. >But you are tired of waiting, and you will make that known.
  448. >Another crackle of energy doubles the size of your death ball.
  449. >With one more lazy flick of your finger, you point downwards at them, and it flies.
  450. "Let's watch the fireworks!"
  451. >...
  452. ----------------------------
  453. [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqHR2dMTNeM ]
  454. "No, no no no no!"
  455. >"T-t-t-twi-l-light whatisthat?!"
  456. >Fluttershy could barely speak.
  457. >The rest couldn't speak at all.
  458. >From your peripheral vision you see Dash flying up next to you, but she drops to the ground, the paper and quill falling to the ground as she stares wide-eyed at the sudden sphere of annihilation.
  459. >That's going to come through, isn't it?
  460. >Everything you've been through with them, it all ends here, doesn't it?
  461. >You blink back tears from your eyes, trying to hold off everyone's impending demise as you do what you think is best.
  462. "Spike, pick up that paper!"
  463. >He doesn't hear your voice, staring up in fear.
  464. "SPIKE!"
  465. >"Whw-what?!"
  466. "PAPER!"
  467. >He looks around on the ground and scrambles for it, dipping the quill in the inkwell and starting to write.
  468. "Okay, okay, Dear Princess Celestia; We need your help! A being with i-immense power has landed on our world and has attacked us, demanding one of the elements of harmony for research; we need you to come immediately and... and..."
  469. >A dark light passes over Ponyville, a high-pitched hum of sheer power wrecking your ears.
  470. >You trail off as you steel your magic with everything you have, closing your eyes and bracing your body as Spike scribbles the rest and blows green fire over it, sending it directly to Princess Celestia.
  471. >The blast hits.
  472. >The instant it makes contact, it creates a deep crater within your shield that begins to break.
  473. >But your steadfast concentration manages to reshape the bubble, and it turns back into the wall that it was for the comparatively puny blasts from before.
  474. >The death ball's power cracks the shield in half as it does not give, and begins to create more through the epicenter, beginning to tear your magic to shreds.
  475. >It's way too powerful.
  476. >As you get the slightest look up from the little time you could open your eyes, you saw him.
  477. >Hovering over the city, laughing quietly to himself.
  478. >You don't know whether to be more scared that he fired this... this behemoth without breaking a sweat, or the fact that he's /enjoying this/.
  479. >But you can't focus on it anymore.
  480. >You have to keep this shield up!
  481. >"C'MON TWILIGH', I BET BITS THAT CELLY TAUGHT YA BETTER THAN THAT, HOLD ON!"
  482. >"You're ROCKIN' Twilight, keep it going! Uh-"
  483. >The words of encouragement falls on deaf ears as your shield suddenly shatters into hundreds of pieces.
  484. >You held it for maybe five seconds.
  485. >The enourmous ball of energy rockets towards the city, wind rising, anything not bolted to the ground beginning to fly away from the carnage that this thing was creating.
  486. >As it neared towards the death of your family and friends, you feel the ground itself beginning to shake, and even crack beneath you.
  487. >You close your eyes tight, feeling futile tears stream down your cheek as you accept your fate...
  488. >...
  489.  
  490. >With one more second to go, you switch up your finger and throw it back up, the death ball suddenly twisting in its own form and immediately growing smaller and smaller, until it disappears completely.
  491. >Your aura stays with you as you utilize the remaining ki you've summoned to fly down with speeds that would make the rainbow-colored one wet herself.
  492. >In fact, to everyone here including your subordinates, you used an afterimage.
  493. >With a singular outline of where you were being all that was left, you bring yourself face to face with the one that dared defy you.
  494. >But at least she didn't have enough power to make you leave your pod.
  495. >She is still quite weak, so you decide to give her a shred of hope.
  496. >Especially since she seems to be crying, oh dear.
  497. >If she makes an outburst, you might end up killing one of her citizens to get the point.
  498. >You've been hovering for a few moments before the purple mare could regain her senses, and the instant she sees you mere feet from her face she backs up right into her friends.
  499. >"You... Y-you stopped that energy?"
  500. >For what power she has, you're surprised she isn't more educated.
  501. >But what else can you expect from primitive equines?
  502. "It was my energy, and I can do what I see fit with it."
  503. >She looks at you with such a familiar look.
  504. >Oh yes, the same look you get whenever you murder someone's family.
  505. >Or when you slay their king in front of their very eyes.
  506. >That special look of fear that is almost the singular reason why you do what you do, why you continue to live.
  507. >Why you will live forever, if you have any say in it.
  508. "What's wrong...? Don't tell me, you're scared? The big bad 'princess' who failed to protect her subjects is caving in? How pathetic."
  509. >Fresh tears begin to brew anew in her eyes, and the pink one speaks up against her friends' wishes.
  510. >"W-why are you such a big fat meanie face?!"
  511. >Oh, how rude.
  512. "Aw, now you've hurt my feelings. Now I'll have to repay the favor."
  513. >Her face flushes of any color, and they watch your eyes as they glint, something exploding behind them.
  514. >"AAAUAHAAAAAAH---"
  515. >The screams of a dainty mare echo out of the homely village, and the spin around to see the white and blue mare shot with something they couldn't follow, smoke and burnt flesh billowing from her chest as she gets blasted back into a crowd.
  516. >The six that seem to band together look on in disbelief, as many of the ponies rush around the one who had been killed by the pink one's poor timing.
  517. "Oh, my apologies. You see, my temper seems to lose itself when certain acquaintances don't comply with my demands."
  518. >Twilight looks back at you with teeth gritting, fiery tears of hatred burning her sight of you.
  519. >Across the distance, you can hear a particularly distressed voice crying out.
  520. >>"Vinyl... Vinyl! P-phhplease... no..."
  521. >The rest of the six slowly look back at you one by one.
  522. >The pink one is sobbing, her mane noticeably flat instead of puffy.
  523. >The white one is in hysterics.
  524. >The rainbow one is staring directly at you, ready to die if she charges.
  525. >The orange one you cannot see under her hat.
  526. >The yellow one is simply staring like a deer caught in the headlights, shaking subtly across her body.
  527. "Now... Twilight. The offer still stands. Give me what I want, and nobody else will come to harm. That one's blood is on your hands. Well, hooves... but I believe you'll make the right decision this time around."
  528. >As she gives you that same offronted look, you do nothing but grin madly, feeling the ki of your beta soldiers rising behind you to back you up.
  529. >Last chance, princess.
  530.  
  531. >...
  532. >There's no other way.
  533. >You've already failed...
  534. >But nopony else should have gotten hurt, or even...
  535. >You can't stand it.
  536. >What he did was unforgivable, but it was your fault.
  537. >You should have just done what he asked from the start.
  538. >Well, you aren't going to make that same mistake twice.
  539. >But... who?
  540. >You look back at your friends, who at this point couldn't form coherent words.
  541. "...We... We need to do what he says, girls..."
  542. >"Twilight, no!"
  543. >Rarity steps up to you.
  544. >"Not after that, how do you know he isn't just lying?!"
  545. >For a moment, you consider her.
  546. >So you turn to Applejack.
  547. "C-can you tell if he's lying, AJ?"
  548. >She looks up from her hat, tears darkening her cheeks.
  549. >For a moment, her steeled gaze looks over at the monster, then back at you.
  550. >"Ah... Ah don't know."
  551. >If she doesn't know, then...
  552. >There's no way to tell, it'd just be a gamble.
  553. >But you have to take that chance.
  554. "What else can we do?..."
  555. >You look at everypony there, not even daring to look at Spike right now.
  556. >His reaction would probably break your heart.
  557. >But as you expected, their heads fall down in defeat, not knowing what else they could do.
  558. >After a long silence, you feel the stare of Frieza on your back.
  559. "So... Who's going?"
  560. >They each look back up at you, then at each other.
  561. >Fluttershy is the first to say something.
  562. >"M-maybe... I should go..."
  563. >Dash looks at her pointedly.
  564. >"What?"
  565. >"I'd... I'd just get in the way if he does something, and I don't want to see anypony else hurt... Let me go...!"
  566. >You think about it for a moment.
  567. >Out of everyone here, you run down the list.
  568. >Dash wouldn't be good, she'd probably end up being a hothead for what Frieza just committed and get herself hurt.
  569. >AJ would be too prone to breaking for any information about your secrets.
  570. >Fluttershy, while she volunteered, would be far too soft for such an ordeal, it wouldn't be right to have a frail mind like that. You certainly don't know what awaits in this situation.
  571. >Pinkie ... She might do something dumb, for lack of a better word.
  572. >And as much as you'd like to go yourself, you have to be here for Celestia and the rest for protection, especially since you're a Princess.
  573. >That leaves...
  574. >You find yourself staring at Rarity, with the rest following your gaze.
  575. >"..M-me?"
  576. "Rarity... You are an element that can survive with whatever they're going to do. ...Not only are you the most mature and intelligent out of the six of us, you've been kidnapped before. Remember the diamond dogs?"
  577. >She's silent, along with the rest of them.
  578. "Listen. I swear to everything I love I will get you out of there. But right now, we don't have any other choice. Please?..."
  579. >For a long time, there's an even greater silence.
  580. >You're not sure how Frieza hasn't done something else yet.
  581. >Maybe he's just enough of a good being to see what you're going through.
  582. >But you doubt it.
  583. "...I know it's going to be hard, but they did say research, not interrogation, right?... I swear, the instant Celestia gets here, we will be there to bust you out. ...Rarity?"
  584. >"Okay.."
  585. >She looks up and gently pushes past you, taking a very deep breath.
  586. >She takes a few steps towards the tyrant, and looks him dead in the eye.
  587. >"Alright then, go ahead and take me!"
  588. >...
  589. ------------------------------
  590. >This is quite the unexpected turn of events.
  591. >At what seemed to be nothing but a desperate plea, the white one stepped forward and volunteered for research.
  592. >Maybe these equines are more intelligent than you thought.
  593. >Then again, you can only be shown how weak and helpless you are so much before your spirit cracks.
  594. >It's almost a pity; you would've went so far as to call them more reasonable than most you've met, had they not tried their pathetic defense strategy.
  595. >But you suppose this will do for now.
  596. >It seems as though they're getting frightened by your lack of communication, as you've been sitting here thinking for nearly a minute.
  597. "Dear me, you're quite brave to step up so forwardly to a being like me."
  598. >You watch curiously as some of the others in the Princess's group is giving her a death glare.
  599. >However, now that they've finally succumbed to your demands, you decide to go ahead and relent.
  600. >With a small smile and a slight glance at Rasberry, he nods and comes forward, walking directly in front of the violet-maned martyr.
  601. >She shrinks a little as the tall bipedal creature walks up to her, but stays her ground.
  602. "Take her."
  603. >At your command, Raspberry quickly steps behind her, raising his arm high, and throws down the bridge of his hand, striking the pony on the back of her head.
  604. >With a squeaky whimper, her eyes roll up in the back of her head and she falls to the ground, unconscious.
  605. >"HEY, WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"
  606. >"YA'LL HURT HER AGAIN AND I'LL-"
  607. >"R-rarity!!.."
  608. >There's a sudden flash of purple light, and you look up to see that Ms. Sparkle is holding her friends back with that nifty magic of hers.
  609. >"Guys, be quiet! I... I hate this just as much as you, okay?.. I'm sorry, but this is the way it has to be."
  610. >She seems to be having trouble keeping her own composure. Interesting.
  611. >You lazily wave a hand forward and a few members from your beta team come forward and pick up 'Rarity' by her hooves, dragging her along for a bit before rising into the air alongside you.
  612. "I do say this sincerely, Ms. Sparkle, that I hope we have a long and prosperous relationship, hmhm."
  613. >You put extra emphasis on long, to which she frowns while staring right at you.
  614. "I'll return when my scientists get a solid grip on their research, but in the mean time... Expect a legion of my soldiers to come here and make sure everything's running like clockwork."
  615. >"Wait, y-you can't-"
  616. >You stare at her carefully.
  617. "Can't... what?"
  618. >Twilight loses her will to speak, looking completely defeated as tears brim in her eyes once again.
  619. "Next time you try to defy me, you will remember today. Understand?"
  620. >At your unwavering will, she can't help but silently nod.
  621. >You smirk one last time as your ki flares to life, once again pouring over your insignificant minions as you leave swiftly with them, carring Rarity in tow.
  622. >Leaning against your pod as if you were just a passenger in a car, you look back for a moment, making sure there were none following you.
  623. >Your eyes and your scouter detect nothing, so you make an about-face and head forward without a second thought.
  624. >With the findings your scientists will soon discover, you'll be another step closer to the ultimate wish.
  625. >The thought just makes you giddy.
  626. >...
  627.  
  628. >There's an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air.
  629. >There's no birds or wind, no rustling trees.
  630. >Nopony's making a sound as the tyrant takes one of your best friends away before your very eyes.
  631. >There's no doubt in your mind that they're thinking the same thing you are.
  632. >That you failed them, you've failed Celestia, and you've even failed yourself.
  633. >Blinking back the fresh tears that've formed, you turn around to meet them.
  634. >But all of your friends have gone over to meet the pony that met a horrible fate.
  635. >You start to walk towards them, but two tiny clawed hands suddenly take your hoof and turn you around.
  636. >"Why did you let them take Rarity, Twi?!"
  637. >He was crying himself.
  638. "...Spike, please understand-"
  639. >"Understand?! You totally picked her out to go, like she was a piece of meat or something, and you want me to understand?! Why couldn't somepony else go, huh?"
  640. "It was the best choice we had-"
  641. >"So out of the six of you, you chose her to go get hurt and like, tortured or something? You don't even know what they're going to do!"
  642. "SHE'LL LIVE!"
  643. >Your raised voice gets him to stop, looking wide-eyed at you.
  644. "Spike, I'm so sorry that it had to be this way, but she was the best choice. She /will/ live. She has to. I'll get her out myself if I have to, but please, just.... just wait. Wait for Princess Celestia, if you don't trust me."
  645. >You look away from him and start to walk back, leaving him standing there.
  646. >You know he was just upset that it had to be her.
  647. >But that doesn't make him any less right.
  648. >Now's not the time for groveling.
  649. >You have to plan.
  650. >There's got to be some way you can overpower that beast.
  651. >But it'll take your friends' help.
  652. >You approach them from behind as a few of the nurses place Vinyl Scratch onto a stretcher, a blanket covering her form, and mournfully take her away as many of her friends look to her in many more tears than you've shed.
  653. >As horrible as this is, you'll have to pay your respects later.
  654. "AJ, Pinkie... Fluttershy, Dash. Let's get back to the palace for Princess Celestia. We don't need any of Frieza's soldiers to know about her."
  655. >They look back at you and follow you silently.
  656. >You noticed that Pinkie's mane is still straight. It probably will be for a while.
  657. >As you lead them back to the palace, you look back and see Spike isn't there.
  658. >You just have to give him some time to cool off, you suppose.
  659. >The five of you come through the crystal palace's gates, and make your way through the labyrinth until you return to the main hall, where the seven thrones sit.
  660. >Each of you take your respective seats, and AJ breaks the ice as you do.
  661. >"Ya'll gonna be alright?"
  662. >"No, I'm not! I don't know how the rest of you could be!"
  663. >You look over at the light-diffused friend of yours, trying to calm her down from the anger she was bottling up.
  664. "Rainbow, I know it's hard to see her leave with them like that. Believe me, I know. What else could we have done? Anything we would've tried would've gotten s-somepony..."
  665. >"What? Killed?"
  666. >That word rings out through the hall, bringing Pinkie and Fluttershy closer to sobbing.
  667. >It's the latter that speaks next.
  668. >"W-we're going t-to... get her back, right? Twilight?"
  669. "Yes, we are. As soon as Princess Celestia arrives, we'll form a plan and hopefully not only get her back, but drive out that monster from our world."
  670. >Dash gets up and puts her hooves on the table.
  671. >"So how exactly are we gonna do that? I don't know if you noticed Twi, but if that guy's got enough power to break your shield with his finger, there's no bucking way that even Celestia could hold a candle to him!"
  672. >Pinkie agrees with her.
  673. >"She couldn't do it Twiley, so why didn't we use our super new rainbow power stuff?! We could've done so much more!"
  674. >AJ looks at you with curiosity from this comment.
  675. >"Actually, yeah. Why didn't we?"
  676. >Now your friends all stare at you, waiting for an answer.
  677. >To be honest, you're not entirely sure why you didn't try it when you first knew that Frieza wasn't friendly.
  678. >But you tried to give him the benefit of the doubt.
  679. >Because of that, now you know why it wouldn't have worked.
  680. "We didn't use that power because... it wouldn't have worked."
  681. >"What, wouldn't work? If Tirek with all the magic in the whole world could get his flank whipped, then this guy could've!"
  682. >You look at Dash intently.
  683. "Think about it. Tirek was a self-absorbed lunatic that couldn't care less about anything besides him getting his revenge and ruling the world. He wasn't out to further anything but himself, and he was reckless. This monster that's come... he's a lot smarter, and I'm pretty sure he's more powerful. It might've been only a sixth of the rainbow power, but he didn't even start to try when he broke my shield. I don't think it would've been a smart move."
  684. >Dash sighs and puts her head on the table, wrapping her hooves around her.
  685. >"If that can't beat him, then what are we supposed to do."
  686. >The five of you are silent at this revelation.
  687. >You didn't have anything left.
  688. >You'd have to just sit here and hope he didn't take you all out?
  689. >This train of thought thankfully gets interrupted by a powerful yellow flash of light, encapsulating the room with its fervor until it dies down.
  690. >You and the rest of your friends look behind you to see something that finally gives you hope.
  691. >It's Princess Celestia!
  692. >And Luna is with her!
  693. >Before you can even say hello, she looks at you and speaks seriously.
  694. >"Twilight, am I right in thinking you've retreated?"
  695. "Wait, what?"
  696. >"Or are the soldiers outside quarantining the village something else?"
  697. >Your pupils shrink to pinpricks and you immediately rush to the window that overlooks Ponyville.
  698. >There are hundreds of the soldiers you saw with Frieza, pushing and forcing ponies either to their homes or into a line on the street.
  699. >But... you thought you had more time!
  700. >"What's happened, Twilight?"
  701. >You turn back to Celestia and Luna's concerned looks, and your ears fall flat.
  702. >How are you going to explain your failure to the one you look up to the most?
  703. >...
  704. ------------------
  705. >She was the best choice. Pfft.
  706. >She was probably just trying to get rid of her or something.
  707. >You thought Twilight actually liked her friends, but you guess not.
  708. >If she won't save her, then you will!
  709. >Even if you're just a pint-sized dragon, there's got to be something you can do.
  710. >That was how you left Ponyville, starting to climb through the depths of the Everfree forest.
  711. >You guess that when you left, Owlicious saw you and tried to get you to come back.
  712. >Unless biting and pulling on your ear was synonymous with 'break a leg'.
  713. >That's when you realized that he was pulling you into a dense bush so that a bunch of soldiers that were rushing by didn't see you.
  714. >You would've got caught just then.
  715. >You weren't about to stop, though.
  716. >You saw what that horned dude did to that pony, and how he's probably invincible.
  717. >But you don't care, why should you?
  718. >The pony you love is in danger and you're not about to let her suffer for any reason!
  719. >You're going to march right back to that ship, find a way inside and get her out before anyone would be the wiser.
  720. >At least, that's what you hope will happen.
  721. >Sure, if you come across Frieza then you're probably toast.
  722. >You are a little scared.
  723. >Well, really scared.
  724. >Like, you could start running away with your tail between your legs scared.
  725. >But you've been through worse, and it's not about to stop you.
  726. >You climb through a thick range of blackened roots back from when Discord's seed corrupted the forest, very glad that all the animals normally in here got scared off by the ship.
  727. >Owlicious takes off a root or too that was snagging your ankle.
  728. "Oh, thanks. Why are you here again?"
  729. >"Who."
  730. "Because it's really dangerous where I'm going! If I don't come back, Twilight needs someone to keep her company."
  731. >"Who."
  732. "Well... maybe, but-"
  733. >"Who."
  734. "Psh, there's no arguing with you."
  735. >Far off in the distance, you see the aformentioned UFO still sitting there in the clearing, through the brush and foliage that's been abandoned by their animal caretakers.
  736. >You crawl through the roots to get a better look, and you see that there's still a legion of guards patrolling around the clearing, with no sight of Rarity anywhere.
  737. >Horsefeathers, looks like you're going to have to defeat that tasty sandwich after all.
  738. >...Where did that come from?
  739. >Maybe Pinkie's been rubbing off on you.
  740. >Either way, you got to get in there somehow.
  741. >Something that'd be here in the forest.
  742. >...Or somepony.
  743. >That's it!
  744. "Spike, you are a genius..."
  745. >Sauntering low back through the roots, you turn around to find your new destination.
  746. >Weird how you don't hear that owl anywhere.
  747. >Maybe he left.
  748. >Just gotta get around this guy.
  749. "Oh, excuse me sir I just need to get by youuuuuuuuuuuuu uh-oh."
  750. >You look up from the armor-clad boots mid-sentence to find one of the soldiers that you recognized from earlier stands in front of you, arm-cannon armed.
  751. >"Lucky day. Looks like I got dinner for the platoon."
  752. >Oh no.
  753. >No no no no.
  754. "H-hey, you wouldn't kill a kid, would you?"
  755. >The soldier seems taken aback that you can speak, but he raises up his cannon anyways.
  756. >"Sorry, boss doesn't carry much food on the ship. You'll all be dead within the week anyways."
  757. >The hum that accompanies the device grows louder, and you're running out of options.
  758. >Think of something!
  759. >You breath in, and blow out billowing green flames that fly directly into the barrel of the cannon.
  760. >Before you could figure out what happened, a bird-like claw hits the side of the device and you're blown back into a tree by something exploding.
  761. >Thanks to your tough dragon hide, you didn't get banged up too badly, but what was that?
  762. >You rub your eyes and look around, and start laughing the instant you see that the soldier's covered in blue and green flames all over his armor, running back towards the ship.
  763. >"AAHGUHAHUGHAAHAH DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT damnit damnit damn..."
  764. >His voice gets further and further away until you watch a few of his buddies throw him to the ground and start stomping on the fire.
  765. >Owlicious is pulling at your ear again.
  766. >That's your queue.
  767. >You start running with the force of 1,000 lucky sons of stallions with Owlicious in tow, flashing through the forest with your draconic instinct as you rush to Zecora's hut.
  768. >...
  769.  
  770. >"So this Frieza has taken Rarity hostage, and his soldiers are going to be watching us like a military state?"
  771. >You nod slowly.
  772. "I don't know why he's so interested in the six of us. I don't know if he knows something he shouldn't. But he did start taking that interest after something popped up on that eyepiece he was wearing."
  773. >Celestia looks towards you, away from the crude drawn rendition of the tyrant that's done so much wrong.
  774. >You explained to the Princesses everything that happened. The initial welcome, the monster declaring martial law, letting his soldiers run wild, your doubts of the power of friendship in this case, and his overwhelming power.
  775. >So far they've taken it all in rather calmly.
  776. >"Eyepiece?"
  777. >You get up and point your hoof to the drawing, setting the tip down on the ear piece.
  778. "From what we've seen, they're some kind of... readers, something that tells them information. When I used my rainbow power magic to do that mass teleport and shield, most of the ones that the soldiers had actually exploded."
  779. >Celestia thinks for a moment, but Luna answers for her.
  780. >"That sounds like a gauge for our magic. Are you sure he doesn't know what magic is or its properties?"
  781. >You shake your head.
  782. "There's no telling. He took Rarity for 'research purposes', but beyond that... I-I don't know."
  783. >Celestia regards you carefully, then looks at the rest of your friends.
  784. >"It seems that what's transpired has weighed deeply on your minds..."
  785. >Celestia sighs, taking her wing to take your standing friends in its embrace.
  786. >"You've all done well, the best you could do in such a situation. We will mourn what's been lost after this is over, but for now I need you all to be alert and ready for anything coming. Can you girls do that for me?"
  787. >Each of them slowly look up at her, giving small smiles to the Princess, though you know it's just to keep Celestia from worrying.
  788. >It looks like she knows too, and looking back at you, pulls you in with her other wing.
  789. >"All of you might not always see eye to eye, but the bond between you is stronger than any decision you'll make. As friends, you will get through this together. Twilight?"
  790. >You look at the ponies that you've been with all these years through thick and thin, through trials and tribulations you'd have never beaten alone.
  791. >And you realize that this will not be the end of the world.
  792. "If you all would trust me again... I promise I'll bring Rarity back. And we'll send that monster back where he came from, no matter what!"
  793. >"Now that's somethin' I like ta hear!"
  794. >"Hear hear!"
  795. >"Y-yay!"
  796. >"TWILEEY!"
  797. >Pinkie comes up and hugs all the breath out of your body, poofiness to her mane returning with gusto.
  798. >In your mouth.
  799. >You try to spit out her hair while breathing, but it's not working out.
  800. "Phhthtpp-- Pink..ie.."
  801. >"Oh, sorry!"
  802. >You feel air rushing in once Ponka lets go of your ribcage, and you get your breathing back in order before continuing.
  803. "Okay... We need a good plan. They know a lot more about us than we do them. Any ideas to change that?"
  804. >Celestia smirks, before suddenly turning away.
  805. >"I think I know what I must do. Twilight, I ask that you stay safe with your friends until I return, but do learn as much as you can."
  806. >You take on a look of bewilderment.
  807. "But, where are you going?"
  808. >"I'm going to go visit a certain lovely Princess. We'll need her."
  809. >Celestia brandishes her wings as her horn flares to life, and her magic shines across the room once more, teleporting far away.
  810. >Princess Luna seems to stay, and gives you a warm smile.
  811. >"She will return soon. But I believe I have an idea."
  812. >You beam as AJ's spirits pick up.
  813. >"Well boy howdy, shoot!"
  814. >Luna looks out of the palace window, watching a few soldiers begin to walk toward the palace.
  815. >"If they take one of our own to get information... Then let us fight fire with fire."
  816. >Rainbow dash scratches her head for a minute.
  817. >"Sooooo... we should get Spike?"
  818. >You roll your eyes.
  819. "No. What Luna is saying is that we need to find a way to get one of those soldiers alone, and see what we can learn from him. But how are we going to lure him, and how are we going to interrogate him?"
  820. >Pinkie suddenly lights up like the sun itself, starting to bounce around your group.
  821. >"Ooh ooh, I know! Let's throw him a birthday party with lots of cake and pie and-"
  822. >AJ stops her with a hoof in her mooth.
  823. >"Pinks, remember how well that turned out earlier?"
  824. >She turns off the light that came on when she beamed.
  825. >She was actually glowing, and you're not going to question it.
  826. "Any more ideas?"
  827. >Luna seems to be thinking, and Dash raises a tentative hoof.
  828. >"Well... Not to sound like Rarity, but have you noticed this guy's soldiers are uh, all guys?"
  829. >Flutters seems to be the only one who knows where this is going.
  830. >"W-what do you mean?"
  831. >"What do you mean what do I mean? I mean a lot of them are aliens, so they probably don't mind a little zeen-oo phil-a."
  832. >The realization dawns on you once Dash butchers the word.
  833. "....You mean xenophilia, don't you?"
  834. >"Er, yeah that."
  835. >AJ looks lost, so you clear your throat, but Luna cuts in for you.
  836. >"Ahem, well, Rainbow Dash is implying we could use our... assets."
  837. >"Assets?"
  838. >She nods, and AJ tips her hat.
  839. >"I ain't givin' them no-lifes none of my hard-worked apples, if that's what ya mean."
  840. >Dash facehoofs, so you step in anyways.
  841. "AJ, Dash means we can woo them. Seduce them, get them off guard?"
  842. >"Oh. Oooooh! Naw, c'mon, they probably think of us as food or somethin'!"
  843. >Pinkie giggles for some reason.
  844. >"PFfft yeah, they totally want to -eat- us!"
  845. >Dash holds a hoof over her mouth to keep from snorting in laughter, and you see Luna and Fluttershy red with blush.
  846. "Girls, that is not how you act in front of a Princess!"
  847. >"Why not? You're a princess, egghead!"
  848. "GHHH-"
  849. >"Girls."
  850. >Luna's voice was much more serious than before.
  851. "What's wrong?"
  852. >At that moment, you hear footsteps coming up through the stairs.
  853. >Looks like you wouldn't have to lure them after all.
  854. >The Princess of the Night backs up towards the wall, and her horn begins to summon magic.
  855. >"Let me take care of the other one. You all decide who's going to question the conscious soldier."
  856. >With that, her magic begins to flow around her body, and her fur shimmers into a color just like the crystal wall.
  857. >Scratch that, exactly like the crystal wall.
  858. >She's gone!
  859. "...I need to study some more, don't I?"
  860. >"No time, sugarcube. Somepony get a chair ready, ah got mah rope."
  861. >"Ooh, this is going to be so much fun!"
  862. >"Can... Can I try uhm, tickle torture?..."
  863. >...
  864.  
  865. "How is our lovely captive, boys?"
  866. >Your voice alerts your scientists to immediate action and salutations.
  867. >Walking into the room, a familiar sight before you has been changed by its contents.
  868. >You see soldiers, men and slug, coward and warrior in the on-board submerging tanks after every single battle.
  869. >But you don't think you'll ever be used to seeing a pony in one.
  870. >Although, this is quite the different situation.
  871. >The one known as Rarity might not be injured, but anytime someone is placed in one of these tanks, their life signs as well as information about their anatomy, bodily functions and physical properties are analyzed for the most proper healing experience.
  872. >Getting this information is the first step in this research, and you intent to find out every single bit of information.
  873. >Looking at the rest of the staff who were still virtually petrified by your presence, you see the badge of the lead scientist.
  874. "Doctor, I advise you to keep that tank clean after her severance. She might need it more than once."
  875. >He swallows the lump in his old, crotchety throat.
  876. >"Yes, Lord Frieza."
  877. "Now, how is she?"
  878. >He scrapes a few of the notes that his underlings have scribbled, carefully adjusting his glasses.
  879. >"We've found uh, many inconclusives about many of her life signatures when we first began, but adjusting the paralyzing liquid and the state of the monitors have led to some interesting discoveries. She seems to be equine in almost every regard, er, physically."
  880. >You raise an eyebrow, and he clears his throat, speaking a little quicker and higher.
  881. >"She has a higher heartbeat than the physiologically similar species we have on record and as you may have noticed, the size of her eyes and her cranium are much larger than normal. We've done some Z-EEG scans and have found that they have a much higher volume ratio, as well, probably the cause of their sapience. Among other interesting finds, the horn on her forehead seems to be the primary source of our scouter readings, and upon further inspection, seems to be a mass of bone protruding from her skull, which is a cover for the source."
  882. >You never noticed that any of them besides the Princess had a horn.
  883. >Wait.
  884. "Is it just me, or are we dealing with unicorns?"
  885. >Some of the scientists look away from you, their backs vibrating from laughter.
  886. >The head doesn't seem to be so amused.
  887. >"We were refraining from calling this particular species that, but that might be an... accurate description. We're currently working on the horn itself and its properties, and we hope to have more soon."
  888. >What they have gathered so far, while some of it quite obvious, is quite impressive with its more intricate details. It satisfies you.
  889. >But you need to keep your workforce sharp. Intimidated.
  890. >So giving them more than they can chew will keep them on edge, no doubt.
  891. "I expect a detailed report on her anatomy, with a subscript of her magical properties, by the end of the day."
  892. >His skin grows pale at this, but he knows not to cross with what you say.
  893. >"Y-yes, Lord Frieza!"
  894. >You turn and walk out without another word, the door sliding down behind you.
  895. >There's an endearing silence within the circular halls of the ship, with the majority of your army currently occupied with something else.
  896. >With nobody else around, your own thoughts begin to intrude on the reticence of the atmosphere.
  897. ~Frieza...~
  898. >A flash of gold and teal flashes through your peripheral vision, and you could've sworn you've seen those eyes before.
  899. >But you conquered those eyes.
  900. >You conquered that power.
  901. >And nothing will ever stand against you again.
  902. >A sigh escapes your lips as you calm yourself, lest you end up destroying the ship like you feared before.
  903. ><{3,000}
  904. ><{7,560}
  905. ><{12,500}
  906. ><{28,900}
  907. >Your only warning of what comes next is a gigantic burst of green and white flames coming through the halls.
  908. >...
  909. -------------
  910. >You bend over and claws latch onto your knees, sweet oxygen filling your lungs.
  911. >You don't know how far you actually ran, but Zecora's hut is on the whole other side of the forest.
  912. >You got there in what, ten minutes?
  913. >No time for rest now, gotta save Rarity!
  914. >You brush yourself off and wave on Owlicious, approaching the familiar makeshift home and rapping your claws on it three solid times.
  915. >Still trying to catch your breath, you wait for a few moments before trying again, doing your best with your short stature to try and look in her window.
  916. "Hh... Zecora?... You in there?"
  917. >You guess it was your voice that tipped her off.
  918. >Maybe she does know about the soldiers?
  919. >A bit of rustling inside is heard before her melodic voice emerges from within her hut.
  920. >"Who is it that knocks upon my door? State your purpose or face death and gore!"
  921. >Whoa, she's serious.
  922. "No it's me, Spike! I kinda need your help!"
  923. >After you say your name, hoofsteps on wood is heard and the door swings open.
  924. "Oh, hey-"
  925. >A black and white arm hooks around your shoulder and pulls you in, the smell of something very volatile invading your nostrils.
  926. >"What is a small child like you doing out here? With these aliens about, do you know nothing about fear?"
  927. >Zecora's agitated tone and unkempt mane basically showcases what you were thinking before.
  928. >She moves over to the cooking pot in the center of the room and keeps stirring something that looks like grey or silver peanut butter.
  929. "What'cha cookin'?"
  930. >"It is my last line of defense. I will not let those beasts ruin this forest at the creatures' expense."
  931. "So... It's a weapon?"
  932. >She looks up at you, her previous anger now turned to concern.
  933. >"Dear Spike, what's gotten into you? Surely you know Twilight will worry where worry is due?"
  934. "I don't think she worries about anypony but herself, sometimes..."
  935. >She looks at you with sad eyes, but you know what you're talking about.
  936. >You cross your arms and try to speak a little more polite.
  937. "Anyways I need your help, Zecora. Twilight won't go back to save Rarity from these guys-"
  938. >She looks taken aback, but you continue.
  939. "-and I went on ahead because she wants to 'plan' even though she could be getting tortured or something right now! Those guys aren't good guys, and even though I came into the forest to save her I have no idea how, Owlicious and I had problems with one guy and there's hundreds guarding the ship and Celestia knows what would happen if I got caught by Frieza, and... Oh wait, you don't know, do you?"
  940. >She looks down and concentrates on her brew, sprinkling something organic inside as she speaks.
  941. >"This Frieza must be the leader of them, for I have sensed something that even evil would condemn."
  942. "Y-yeah... He's taken over Ponyville."
  943. >She stops stirring, and moving altogether.
  944. "He pulled out this weird huge ball thing that broke Twilight's suped up rainbow-power shield as soon as it touched it, and he can make things explode w-with... with his eyes! He killed somepony, Zecora!"
  945. >She sluggishly looks up at you with a look you've never seen before.
  946. >If you weren't scared before, you are now.
  947. >Even Owlicious is hiding behind your shoulder.
  948. >"And you say Rarity is being held by the beasts?"
  949. >You nod slowly.
  950. >Zecora looks over at one of her shelves, and takes something with a pony skull and crossbones from it, returning to the pot.
  951. >When she uncorks the vial, a viscous white smoke shimmers out from it, and she pours it right into the concoction.
  952. >The effect is instant; the entire hut blows through with a weird silver smoke that makes your throat really dry.
  953. >"Then we will find a legion of gravestones for the deceased."
  954. >That line alone gave you enough confidence to cheer.
  955. >A few minutes pass and Zecora straps a satchel to herself, filled with a bunch of skinny vials of the white buttery substance, each one with a rubber guard around them so they don't clink too much.
  956. >She also pulls off a few clear vials and gives one to you.
  957. >"I strongly desire not to pull such a youngling into battle, but I require your aid to make their ship rattle."
  958. "Cool... what is it?"
  959. >Zecora wipes something black and green on your cheeks, and on hers after.
  960. >"Invisibility for a passing moment, but the potion's strength is quite potent. You will not be seen nor heard; At least until the magic speaks its final word."
  961. >You've only ever known Twilight to make something like invisibility.
  962. >Then again, Zecora's so awesome she taught her about magic, and she's a zebra.
  963. "Okay, what am I gonna do?"
  964. >Zecora takes a minute to look outside before slowly opening the door for you and Owl.
  965. >"When we come up to the ship, I'll need that fire from your lips."
  966. >Now we're talking.
  967. >You follow Zecora out as she locks up her hut, making sure everything's present before taking off into a bush-covered path.
  968. >You follow the best as you can, but her knowledge of the forest makes her much more agile than you could ever be.
  969. >She stops to look around to let you catch up, and eventually you feel that sinking pit in your stomach returning as you near Frieza's ship.
  970. >"Who."
  971. "Don't worry buddy, we got Zecora with us, we'll be fine."
  972. >"Who."
  973. >Another sigh escapes your breath, seeing that armored monstrosity again.
  974. "I know, I'm scared too."
  975. >As you keep moving forward, you're suddenly stopped by Zecora's flank, who had frozen still.
  976. "Er, wh-"
  977. >"Shh."
  978. >You stay dead quiet, wondering what she's doing.
  979. >That's when you watched two of those guards you saw behind Frieza earlier pass by the bush, talking idly during their patrol.
  980. >Thankfully they pass by you pretty quickly, and you feel a hoof take your claw.
  981. >"Now!"
  982. >Her back hooves dig into the ground and she takes off into open air with you and Owlicious in tow, and you run as fast as your stubby legs can take you.
  983. >At some point she just throws you up on her back, and a few seconds later you find yourself face to face with the outside of the ship.
  984. >Zecora starts to crawl under it and you quickly jump off and follow her, and the three of you end up directly under the ship, no guards able to see you unless they actively looked down.
  985. "Uh... Is this safe?"
  986. >"We will not be harmed under here. Take this,"
  987. >She hands you one of the vials after uncorking it, handing you both it and the cork.
  988. >"and the contents you must sear."
  989. >You nod slowly, and breath in, putting the vial up to your mouth.
  990. >One little breath sends a trickle of green flame into the silver substance, and it instantly starts to react with it, turning mostly green itself.
  991. >You cork it and hand it back to Zecora, who moves with insanely fast reflexes as she shakes it and heaves it as far as she possibly can through the underside of the ship, and into the far side of the clearance.
  992. >Then, there's an absolutely cacaphonic explosion that nearly blinds you, knocking both of you back with the shockwave.
  993. >The ground shakes, the ship above you sputters and makes you fear it'll fall down on top of you, all while rubbing your eyes to try and get your sight back.
  994. >When everything finally dies down, every single patrolling soldier and a few from the inside arm their weapons and approach the flame very alerted.
  995. >>"What the hell was that? That wasn't a ki blast!"
  996. >>"It must've been something from this planet. There's been talk of magic, right? Maybe this is magic."
  997. >>"I don't want to die!"
  998. >You feel yourself being pulled by Zecora yet again, this time to the opposite side of the gate, where you first saw that horned freak.
  999. >From the side against the explosion, she pulls you onto her back and quickly darts up the stairs, the light of Celestia's sun quickly giving way to the darkness of the hull's shadow.
  1000. >You watch as you plow forwards riding horseback, a lot of lights dotting the edges and ceiling of the still dark halls as they curve around the huge ship.
  1001. >When you look down, you see Zecora gently laying down some of the white vials open near the edges in between the lights.
  1002. "We're going to blow this whole thing up?"
  1003. >"After we retrieve the subject of your heart, then from this ship we will depart."
  1004. >You and Zecora begin to look through some of the halls very tentatively, and that pit in your stomach goes black-hole level.
  1005. >He's here, and you know it.
  1006. >Zecora knows too, as her ears are flat, and her movements quicken.
  1007. >Then, you finally see it, on the far side.
  1008. >One of the open doors has a bunch of those soldiers, but these guys aren't in armor, but labcoats.
  1009. >In the back is Rarity, submerged in some weird green goo.
  1010. >But in front of that is what made you want to vomit.
  1011. >You only got a second to look, because Zecora pulled the both of you back, with Owlicious trying to stay on your shoulder.
  1012. >"We must lure the demon out, in order to ensure Rarity's safety without a doubt."
  1013. >She starts to move back around the other side of the ship, moving around her vials in a way that points away from the room where good and evil rest.
  1014. >A few more moments, and you start picking up footsteps from where you came.
  1015. "Uh, Zecora? I think they're coming back in!"
  1016. >"Who!"
  1017. "The soldiers!"
  1018. >She quickly places one more vial down directly under her, and takes another out of her satchel and uncorks it, sticking it halfway in your mouth.
  1019. >You breath fire into it without hesitation, and she throws it near the gate, galloping to the first open door she sees and closes it.
  1020. >The very same second she gets the door to the bottom of the seam, the entire ship begins to shake like it's a hula-dancer down in Hoofalulu.
  1021. >And then you see nothing but green fire.
  1022. [ http://vocaroo.com/i/s1z206pBU2GM ]
  1023. >...
  1024.  
  1025. >"Whoa, wicked cool!"
  1026. "Dash, that's not funny! You don't know if these guys are carrying some weird space disease, now take off that helmet!"
  1027. >Rainbow had gotten a hold of the unconscious guard's armor, and was currently wearing it.
  1028. >It was big on her, but even knowing this she still looks kind of scary.
  1029. >Except for the way too big helmet, which was making her look like a robot.
  1030. >"Ugh, you're no fun Twilight. Pinkie, put this on! A -real- good interrogator needs a questioning cap, right?"
  1031. >Pinkie's face suddenly pops up into the helmet, squishing her and Dash's cheeks together.
  1032. >"Oooh, I'm an evil space man, wee!"
  1033. >"Gh- a little... cramped... Pinkie...."
  1034. >Luna had managed to get the drop on those soldiers without much effort at all.
  1035. >Even though they have that strong armor, they don't respond too well to a five story fall.
  1036. >And the other one was even weaker, because AJ just gave him a quick buck to the crotch, then his head.
  1037. >Why would something as abominably powerful as Frieza use such weak minions?
  1038. >Either way, AJ got the other soldier stripped and tied up, and Pinkie nominated herself to be the questioner.
  1039. >She says she's had experience with it, but you're a little suspicious about that.
  1040. >Let her have her fun, you guess, so long as you get some useful information.
  1041. >You just hope she has it in her...
  1042. >"Wh- You're getting slobber all over the inside!"
  1043. >Pinkie twists and turns inside the helmet making a wet engine noise, coating everything inside with her spit as she twists Dash out and dons the soaked helmet as her own, puffing her cheeks up as she walks up to the soldier.
  1044. >"Okey dokey lokey! So you think you can just come to our planet and make us a bunch of no-fun-allowed ponies with your big meanie-weenie cannons! I'll tell ya mister, I got my own cannon but it's a whole million times betterer than yours! Now where's Rarity!?"
  1045. >Everyone including you looks at her in disbelief, until Fluttershy of all ponies breaks the awkward moment.
  1046. >"..Y-you know he isn't awake, right?..."
  1047. >Pinkie's hoof deflates.
  1048. >You just can't question what happens with her anymore.
  1049. >"Allow me."
  1050. >Princess Luna walks up to the unconscious soldier, her magic beginning to surge.
  1051. >She lowers down and tentatively places her horn between his eyes, a small soothing flash eminating over his face for a brief moment.
  1052. >His eyes snap open like he was having quite a bad dream, and it takes him a second to look around.
  1053. >"W-what? What's going on? I'm... I'm still dreaming, aren't I?"
  1054. >Before you can respond, the lights in the palace are turned off, replaced by a small one-bulbed lamp held by a pink hoof.
  1055. >"Okay buddy boy, looks like you and me are gonna have a little pano e pano!"
  1056. >His look makes you think you were the crazy ones.
  1057. >"...What?"
  1058. >"Time to cough it up! Where'd you put our friend Rarity, alien man?! Is she at her boutique? The town hall? Mr. and Mrs. Cake's?! Fluttershy's shed?!"
  1059. >Pinkie inches closer and closer to him with every random accusation, until you manage to find a spot to bump in.
  1060. "Uh, Pinkie? We know where Rarity is. We need to find out the enemy's plans? Anything about Frieza?"
  1061. >Once the question's out in the air, the soldier becomes much more lucid and more aware of his situation, including the rope.
  1062. >He tries to struggle, but to no avail, to AJ's credit.
  1063. >"Sorry champ, ya'll gonna be sittin' nice and tight 'till you spill all the beans."
  1064. >"Get me out of here! And why are you wearing my helmet?!"
  1065. >Pinkie touches noses with him, her eyes jutting out at his.
  1066. >"I'm the question-maker-giver here! Now why is Freezer doing all these bad things?"
  1067. >Freezer?
  1068. >"You guys are crazy, anything you do here, Lord Frieza would do a million times worse if he knew anyone said something!"
  1069. >You think about it for a moment.
  1070. >That is true, unless you were realling willing to be... brutal, he probably wouldn't say anything.
  1071. >The mere thought of stooping to his level makes you nauseous.
  1072. >"Oh please, I have much, -much- worse ways to get my party guests to talk..."
  1073. >As odd as it probably sounds to him that somepony like Pinkie would say that, he looks a little scared.
  1074. >The pink party pony reaches for something from behind the chair, suspense rising in the air.
  1075. >He starts sweating, awaiting the torment that's about to befall him, ready to die if it means taking his Lord's secrets with him.
  1076. >Pinkie's glare directly at him makes him close his eyes in defeat, the inevitable future about to make him wish he was never born...
  1077. >And she shoves something into his mouth.
  1078. >One of the maintainence ponies turns the lights back on as what Pinkie did is revealed.
  1079. >She put a spoon in his mouth, filled with some of the most delicious cheesecake you've ever laid your eyes on.
  1080. >The moment everypony else sees this, they sigh and groan in frustration.
  1081. >"Pinkie, ah told you ya shoulda let me handle the questionin'!"
  1082. >The soldier tastes the pastry on his tongue, still fearful of posion or something similar.
  1083. >But when he swallows, his eyes start to water.
  1084. >"...It's been so long since I've had anything sweet."
  1085. >"Didja like it? It was my own recipe made with Mrs. Cake, the best baker in all of Ponyville!"
  1086. >He sniffs the plate in front of him eager for more, but Pinkie wrenches it away from his grasp.
  1087. >"Uh uh uh! No more until you start cooperating and giving us what we want!"
  1088. >Frieza's loyal soldier looks as if he's about to betray everything for one more taste of that delectable pie.
  1089. >To be honest, you didn't think that'd work, but it seems to be!
  1090. "Nice touch, Pinkie... I'm impressed."
  1091. >She beams with that unparalleled smile, but the soldier finally comes to his senses.
  1092. >"Gh, just a little food that reminds me of home? I'm not stupid, you're just a bunch of happy little ponies that don't know what he's capable of!"
  1093. >"Ooh, like what?"
  1094. >Pinkie gives him a curious eye, still holding the cheesecake in smelling distance.
  1095. >"Guys around the platoon have said things you wouldn't believe... There's stories about him tearing the hearts out of some poor fellow that missed a dirty spot on his armor!"
  1096. >That's disgusting!
  1097. >"Oooh, what else can he do?"
  1098. "Pinkie!"
  1099. >"There's a rumor going around that he once sniped a double-agent that betrayed him with that legendary Death Beam... from over seven cities away!"
  1100. >...Death Beam?
  1101. >That must be one of his techniques.
  1102. >You're actually getting somewhere.
  1103. >A little levitation brings you a notepad and quill, and you start scribbling what he says as Pinkie eggs him on.
  1104. >"That's totally crazy! There's gotta be more!"
  1105. >The soldier's now reliving all the stories he's heard about his own death-prone boss.
  1106. >"Elite warriors from the Kanassan Squadron have said when he transformed, he destroyed the planet by splitting it in half!"
  1107. >Everyone falls silent.
  1108. >Pinkie's exuberant enthusiasm fades, and she steps off him, looking at everyone else.
  1109. >You had to press this, no matter how shocked your friends are.
  1110. "He can transform? Destroy -planets-?"
  1111. >The soldier now realizes what he's revealed, but for some reason, he starts laughing.
  1112. >"Haahahahaa, you don't even know what you're up against, do you? He doesn't have to transform to blow up planets. He's the most powerful being in the entire universe, even stronger than a Super Saiyan!"
  1113. >While the latter part falls on deaf ears, what you're hearing right now is...
  1114. >"Right, you don't know. He's not just capable of transforming. He can do it multiple times. Each and every transformation is a whole new league of power. He only employs us so he doesn't have to do the dirty work, heh. There, you got your info, now untie me and I might think about letting you lot live."
  1115. >Luna steps forward.
  1116. >"How many transformations are there?"
  1117. >"Jog on, you disgusting equine!"
  1118. >...Uh oh.
  1119. >Luna frowns, and you back away with all your friends as you watch the unfolding event.
  1120. >Her horn glares with a display of intimidating power, her eyes beginning to glow white as the stars and moon as her wings flare out to their maximum length.
  1121. >"You will have MUCH more to fear if you bridle your tongue now! If you believe your 'Lord' Frieza is ruthless, know that I've nearly succeeded in enslaving this entire world MYSELF, and they are MY subjects!"
  1122. >Is she stirring his fear with her magic?
  1123. >The soldier tries to back away, but the chair's bolted to the ground.
  1124. >"SPEAK!"
  1125. >"T-there's four! Four forms!"
  1126. >Luna does not take her eyes off of him.
  1127. >You can't take your eyes off of her.
  1128. >You know she's only acting to persuade him, but it's convincing enough to make you believe Nightmare Moon isn't still just a memory.
  1129. >"Good. What does he plan to do with us? Why involve himself with our world?"
  1130. >"I-I don't know, he came here because he saw a T3 planet! H-He's just going to wipe out the sentient life on this one and sell it for profit like he usually does! Oh god, don't kill me, please!"
  1131. >After this sordid confession, The Princess of the Night rolls back her magic, slowly returning to normal after a considerable darkening of her fur.
  1132. >Her ethereal mane brightens the room once again, her irises returning to view.
  1133. >"...Thank you for your cooperation."
  1134. >There's a snapping sound in the air, and his head suddenly falls limp, once again asleep.
  1135. >The air is still for a moment while Luna looks at the five of you.
  1136. >Dash looks back at him, completely dumbfounded by what she heard.
  1137. >"So... That's it. We can't beat him."
  1138. >To be fair, if she hadn't said it, you would have.
  1139. >Fluttershy shakes her head.
  1140. >"No, w-we can still do something! Can't we?"
  1141. >Nothing responds to her, nopony able to speak from the revelation.
  1142. >"...Please?"
  1143. >You turn around and walk back towards the window, eyes closed in solemn reflection.
  1144. "How are we supposed to fight something that can destroy planets with his weakest power?"
  1145. >The question hangs stagnant in the air, and no words are brave enough to counter it.
  1146. >Maybe that's why Celestia decided to teleport back in at that moment, a gold and pink flash of magical light reverberating through the air, as the alabaster princess returns.
  1147. >And she's brought Cadance.
  1148. >"Twilight! Oh dear, Auntie Tia's told me everything, are you all alright?"
  1149. "...No. We're not alright."
  1150. >...
  1151. ----------
  1152.  
  1153. [This fic is also unfinished, apologies. Contact Trixieflap#6733 on discord for more information]

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