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They walked down the silent streets of Ponyville each scanning in a certain direction looking for any source of trouble, disturbingly they found no trouble. Five minutes of walking later they still hadn’t spotted anything that looked remotely threatening. Garrus started to whistle a happy tune to himself and the others soon started to hum along, it was probably the only thing keeping them from dreading the unknown shadows all around them.

“In case anyone hasn’t guessed at this point we’re walking into a trap.” Shepard told his group who nodded silently in affirmation; they had figured it out two minutes before Shepard told them.

“Shepard wouldn’t it be nice if we…” Garrus was interrupted by a large explosion that tore a huge gash in the ground in front of them throwing Shepard and his group backwards. Out of the surrounding buildings emerged around fifty griffins, all of whom had their weapons raised and were pointing them at Shepard and his team. As the dust cleared completely a new griffin emerged, his eyes were covered by a plate that ran across them and his face was further obscured by metal. His feathers were jet black and at his side rested a sword and scabbard.

“I’ve been waiting for this Shepard!” The griffin said in a tone that perfectly matched Kai Leng’s, as he said it he drew the sword, it was covered in dried blood, Fluttershy let out a low growl.

“He did it, he’s the one who killed my animals, he matches Angle’s description…I’ll kill him!” Although she said it quietly the menace in her voice was clear and even Dash took a step back, Fluttershy radiated pure outrage and hatred.

“So we all run towards the hole in the ground that they were nice enough to blast open for us?” Tali asked Shepard.

“No they’re at too good of a position to try that with, we hit them hard throw up a smoke screen of some kind then we head for the nearest unoccupied house.” Shepard replied.

“You are probably thinking of running towards that hole that I blasted in the ground for you aren’t you?” Leng asked sardonically “well I wouldn’t do that if I were yo…” he was suddenly interrupted by Garrus who had shot a sniper bullet clean through his shoulder.

“Talking isn’t a free action Leng!” Garrus yelled over his shoulder as he Shepard and the rest ran towards the closest house where they set quickly set up a defensive position. Tali, Applejack and Fluttershy took the bottom floor leaving the top floor to everypony else.

“This is going to really be a case of defense isn’t it Shepard?” Garrus asked, Shepard nodded, meanwhile Leng had apparently already recovered from his bullet to the shoulder because he strutted to the front of the house and yelled.

“This isn’t over Shepard I’ll kill you!”

“Tut tut” Garrus said to Shepard before springing up and firing another shot into Leng’s shoulder.

“That was the same spot wasn’t it” Shepard said, Garrus nodded with a smile.

***

“They’re doing what!” Miranda yelled.

“They’re leading a direct attack on Ponyville which is being directed by Leng.” Anderson told her quietly.

“This is something that I cannot allow, to many innocents have already died in this game, not another pony will die without just cause!” Thane said rising from the table slowly and putting on his jacket while making sure that his pistols were ready and his trusty sniper was attached securely to his back.

“Thane no, you can’t if you do you’ll jeopardize the entire plan!” Miranda said, Thane gazed at her with his black eyes which were the only part of him that hadn’t changed when he had died before he steadily said.

“Your plan is in ruins, The Illusive Man has mobilized his army, Celestia will take the field in defense of her town. The mind of Discord has not yet been stabilized, Luna is still in near critical condition, and Shepard has no way to stop any of it without outside help. The time for action is NOW!” with that Thane headed for the door, giving them all a curt nod before he departed.

“I need to get back to Celestia; ‘Arsenal’ would be next to her.” Anderson said before he walked out of the room leaving Legion, Kaidan, Miranda, and Mordin looking at each other.

“If Shepard Commander dies then this struggle becomes pointless, I am going to prevent that.” Legion left, and then there were three.

“You probably expect me to go charging out there, don’t you Miranda?” Kaidan asked her, a small tight smile on his face.

“Are you?” she asked her voice was strangely hesitant, as if she didn’t know what to do, Kaidan shook his head.

“I’m going to stay here and make sure that neither you or Mordin come to any harm.” His voice was layered in steel and his eyes were hard.

“A nice sentiment but hardly necessary, unless we’ve made an astronomical lapse in judgment the enemy lacks this location...but we are happy all the same.” Mordin told him breathlessly before turning to Miranda “I will redouble my efforts to invent a way of stopping The Illusive Man, until that success I ask not to be disturbed.” Mordin turned his back on the two others at the table and strode purposely through the door to his lab. Miranda and Kaidan stared at each other for a long time from across the table before Kaidan got up to sit next to her.

***

“Garrus get some fire on those assault troops that are trying to flank us from the west!” Shepard yelled as he fired off a shockwave into a formation of griffins approaching from the front. The quick reply of Garrus’s sniper put a small smile on Shepard’s face “Tali send out a combat drone into that group on the right!” Tali sent out her drone which tore a small bloody hole through the enemy griffins. Rainbow Dash flew by several dozen griffins followed in hot pursuit but Dash twisted and she hovered in mid air for a second before opening up with her vindicator as the griffins swept past her unable to match her aerial acrobatics. Next to him Twilight sent out a concentrated blast of magic into an approaching group sending them flying backwards into several buildings where they burst into cold flame. Shepard’s Carnifex fired out a burst of shots each one ending in a perfect head shot, but Shepard knew that there were too many for them to effectively hold off forever.

“Shepard we can’t last much longer I’m down to my last application of medigel!” Ash yelled from behind him, Shepard nodded he was down to his last medigel to.

“We need a fallback position, any ideas?” Shepard called it was Rarity who answered.

“My boutique is just a block away if Dash can provide covering fire I’m confident that we could make it there without casualties, plus it would give me access to Tom.”

“Who’s Tom?” Ash yelled to Twilight.

“You don’t want to know!” Twilight replied with certainty as she let loose another blast of magic.

“Alright ponies we’re moving to Rarity’s boutique we move in three minutes so get ready!” Shepard shouted.

“Rarity what about your sister?” Twilight asked in slight distress.

“She’s at school; I don’t know anypony I trust more than Cheerilee to keep her safe!”Rarity replied as her tempest submachine gun sent out a large stream of bullets. They met in the ground floor two minutes later and prepared to make a break for the back door while Tali kept the griffins from gaining the front door with the help of her drones and her shotgun. Once they were all moving the griffins began to catch on and started to try and flank them by flying over the buildings, thankfully Dash was on duty and they got shot down before they could get much farther. They burst into the boutique and sealed the door behind them before taking up firing positions at the windows.

“You think that this changes anything you are all just rats that I have yet to extermin…” Leng was going to get farther but he apparently hadn’t learned his lesson yet because Garrus sent another shot right through his shoulder.

“You would think that after two he would have learned.” Garrus said while shaking his head in disgust.

“I remember him being much smarter than this, I wonder what happened.” Shepard replied as he shot another griffin.

“I’m guessing that his trip here wasn’t as nice as ours and that his brain came out a little worse thanks to it.” Tali called.

“Whatever the reason I’m happy that it happened.” Shepard called back. The enemy started to march towards the boutique in silent determination firing off shots as they came; apparently they had finally noticed that Shepard’s group didn’t have enough firepower to kill them all. “They’re going to try the brute force approach everypony get ready!” Shepard called as he launched several into the air with a shockwave. Off of a building a black blur speed appeared and began to run through the enemy ranks. Where it passed the enemy fell to the ground with an assortment of injuries, the most notable were the ones whose necks were broken. As the blur got closer Shepard recognized a familiar leather jacket and he smiled a grin smile, it was time to finally meet the pony in the leather jacket. With a final acrobatic leap the pony in the jacket leapt through the broken window and landed with a graceful roll, the others were staring in open mouth amazement before Shepard directed them back to killing the griffins.

“Shepard, it’s been a long time.” The pony in the jacket said simply as he looked up to meet Shepard’s eyes, Shepard stared. The pony had just talked in Thane’s voice and his eyes were the exact shade of black as Thane’s.

“Thane?” Shepard asked a little uncertain.

“Of course Shepard, you didn’t think that I’d let a little thing like dying stop me, did you?” Thane gave him an ironic smile.

“But if you’re you, then Arsenal has to be Anderson!” Shepard exclaimed Thane nodded.

“We can reintroduce everypony later; right now we have griffins to kill.” Thane said simply as he unhooked his rifle and sent three griffins flying with one bullet. “I love the widow” Thane said simply. The griffins poured forward squawking battle cries as they came even with Thane’s added firepower Shepard’s group didn’t have enough ponies to hold off the griffins completely and they soon found themselves bunkered down on the second floor.

“Even with Krios among you, you can’t hope to hold out against the might of Cerber…” this time Leng was cut off by both Thane and Garrus’s bullets they preceded to hoofbump. Unfortunately the griffins kept pouring in through the first floor door and windows, providing easy targets and jamming the too spaces, but they still had more than enough reserves to shrug off the casualties. Shepard’s mind had stopped working on any level higher then shoot griffin in the face, when suddenly a new voice entered the fray.

“Shepard Commander where would you like me?” Shepard turned around to find a silver colored pegasus holding an iconic widow sniper in his hooves.

“Legion?” Shepard asked, Legion nodded an affirmative “Alright go with Garrus and Thane so you can provide covering fire.” Legion nodded and headed off towards the position, before stopping halfway and saying.

“It is an honor to serve with you again Shepard Commander.” Shepard acknowledged with a quick nod before turning back to the battle going on around him. Leng finally made a real appearance; he strode into the room and under the cover of a powerful shield and opened up with an incredibly powerful assault rifle sending everypony diving for cover, except Fluttershy. She stood directly in his path her eyes burning with fiery vengeance.

“My name is Fluttershy, you killed my animals, prepare to die!” She said it very calmly before she reached for a sword that was hanging at her side, Shepard couldn’t believe that he’d missed it before. Leng started to laugh, he held up a talon and the other griffins stopped their approach and quitted respectfully. Fluttershy was using what appeared to be a straight bladed bastard sword which gave her a perfect balance of offense and defense, Leng was of course using a katana. The two combatants charged each other in a flurry of sparks and steel, Fluttershy started with a quick uppercut which Leng blocked contemptibly before he responded with a lightning fast down stroke. Fluttershy ducked underneath it and unleashed a powerful side cut which Leng blocked sending sparks flying as their swords met. Leng sprang on the offensive and began a pattern of high and low cuts ultimately terminating in a blow meant to behead Fluttershy; she barely moved her head in time and received a long bloody cut across the side of her face. Dash tried to go to her but Shepard grabbed her.

“This is her fight let her finish it.” Shepard told her quietly so as not to disturb Fluttershy’s concentration. Even with her face bleeding Fluttershy pressed onto the assault, the two blades clanged and smashed against each other with the speed of greased lightning until Fluttershy saw and opening and delivered a powerful cut to her enemy’s chest leaving a bloody gash among the black feathers. This only caused Leng to chuckle lightly as the wound began to close right before their eyes. Leng then sprang forward brining his katana scything downward towards Fluttershy’s head; Fluttershy rolled forward underneath the cut and brought her blade up so that it made a large cut through Leng’s stomach. Leng stood their panting for several seconds before his stomach reknitted itself and he was ready to begin again.

“Foolish yellow pony you believe that you can stop a mighty swordsman like me well I’ll show you the error of your wa…”

“Shut up and DIE!” Fluttershy yelled as she decapitated Leng sending his head flying into the crowd of griffins waiting around her.

“Twilight get her up here now!” Shepard yelled Twilight complied half a second after Fluttershy appeared next to her the spot that she’d been standing was riddled with bullet holes. The Cerberus troops looked up at Shepard’s group with hate in their eyes and they began to advance very slowly towards the stairs. Great horns began to blow outside as if sounding the approach of a coming storm. The Cerberus troops turned around and found themselves starring down the barrels of the Royal Army, at its head stood Princess Celestia resplendent in armor that looked to be wreathed in golden fire.

“YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!” She yelled before she sent out a great inferno that swept away the Cerberus troops in a storm of flames. Inside Dash’s head Shika spoke up for the first time since the beginning of the battle not bad but my queen could have kicked her flanks straight into the sun. Dash told her to shut up before she rushed over to Fluttershy who was lying next to Twilight who was applying a large pack of medigel to the long cut going across her face. Unfortunately Celestia had missed one sniper trooped who was stationed on top of a nearby building; he was taking careful aim at Celestia’s head. He heard a slight popping sound from behind him and he turned to be confronted by a bright pink pony holding a shotgun and aiming it directly at his head.

“Alright you primitive screwhead you see this?” She pointed at her shotgun, the Cerberus trooper nodded in dumbfounded disbelief. “This is my BOOMSTICK!” Pinkie yelled as she blew a hole straight through the Cerberus troopers head.

AN

Consider this the halfway point

Next Chapter: Recovery Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 46 Minutes