I woke up to a frantic knocking on the door. Me and Luna stirred before we finally got up.

"Who could it be at this hour?" I groaned. I opened the door to find that Mystic had a massive smile on his face.

"My friend! Sorry to wake you but guess what?" Mystic said with glee, holding a piece of paper.

"What, this better be good".

"You have been allocated to the new sample collection team that will go to Manehatten!"

"This is good news how?" I asked. Mystic went in for a whisper.

"Project Sol, we can make it progress a lot easier," He whispered.

"Well at least I'm not stuck in this tower any more". Luna come up beside me, her hair frizzy and she squinted at me. We nuzzled each other. Mystic bowed in respect.

"Sorry your majesty, I didn't mean to wake you".

"It is not problem, any friend of Lucas is a friend of mine," Luna waved a hoof.

"We shall talk later my friend, have fun," Mystic smiled. He soon trotted off back downstairs. Me and Luna looked at each other.

"Ready for round two?" I flirted. She looked at me seductively and bit her lip.

"Come and get it," Luna said, backing away towards the bed. I pounced on her and began round two.

I woke up and saw Luna cuddled up on me, I managed to slip away and sneak out of the door. I went outside of the tower and went to the old Canterlot Mines. I entered the now refurbished mine shafts. I didn't want to work in a dump so I got some drones to do some late spring cleaning. I entered the main workshop, where I saw several machines working on several parts of a mechanism which fitted onto Project Sol. I saw Mystic overlooking the machines.

"Ho there, how are you Mystic?" I asked, Mystic smiled to my return.

"Are you going to put on your protection gear my friend?" He replied. I nodded as I went to the storage room. I felt a pain in my hand. Soon I was the Master Mind once more.

"Ah my lord, you have returned," Mystic welcomed.

"Yes, is the delivery system for Project Sol complete?" I asked.

"Yes my lord, it is ready. All that remains is the cannon to be complete," Mystic informed. I walked up to see a giant metallic cylinder in front of me, set up on a launch pad that was below a large tunnel which lead to the summit of the mountain.

"What do we do now my lord?"

"My human counterpart has been assigned on the sample collection team, I guess this is a good time to finally announce myself to the world".

"Why in the world would you do that?"

"That is easy my friend, they need to know what they are up against," I grinned, "Also we need to lower the morale of the soldiers lower than it already is".

"Why not now my lord?"

"Project Sol's completion would be the perfect time, however that is too far away. So I suggest the time when my human counterpart is on his first operation".

"Wonderful my lord, may I continue working on Project Sol?"

"Take a break, you need one," I said, pointing at Mystics dark rings under his eyes.

"OK my lord, thank you," Mystic trotted off into the kitchen, "Oh and the slaughter chamber is ready my lord".

I walked to a newly built corridor, took a left to be met by a thick steel door. I typed in the code on the keypad and the giant door lifted slowly, revealing several dismembered ponies on operating tables. For my human counterpart I set it up as an autopsy lab however that is only a side product. I walked up to one of the walls and pressed a brick that I allocated as a secret button. The wall lifted to reveal a prison with several sedated ponies within the cages.

I went up to a control panel and pressed a button saying 'Feed'. 2 claws hanging from giant arms came down and picked up 2 ponies at random. They were then placed in a holding cell where a gas was sprayed in it. The 2 ponies woke up and saw their fate. They screamed and screamed and screamed but nopony could hear them, thanks to Mystic for sorting out soundproof walls around the slaughter chamber. The gas was vented and I was safe to go inside. I opened the hatch which was just of reach for the 2 ponies and I jumped in. I didn't take Pegasi or Unicorns, I can't contain them just yet.

The stallion tried to buck me, however I grabbed is leg just in time and threw him into a wall. The mare however knew her fate and just had her eyes closed. I slammed my hand onto the stallion's face and transferred the fungus. He twitched and turned but couldn't escape. He finally stopped moving as the fungus took control of it's new host. The mare opened her eyes and watched in horror as the stallion picked himself up. I grinned at her fear as I did the same with her.

I felt a peculiar power go through me as I infected the mare.

"What is this?" I thought to myself.

"Ah, I was hoping this would happen," Pestilence said, "You have accumulated enough stem cells from the hunted to create a new strain of the fungus".

"What can I do to change it?"

"Well, you can change it's take over methods, it's strength to certain environments or it's behaviour to certain stimuli".

"I'd like to enhance the infected's intelligence, allow them to use basic weapons".

"Good choice, I am pleased with your progress."

"Time to raise my army".

1 Week later

Me and Luna had visited Ponyville once more. We were met by the same angry mob who tried to drive us out. However we weren't met with pitchforks and torches, but instead gifts and smiles. The leader of the mob approached me.

"Human. The Princesses words had changed my opinion about you," The leader said with guilt in his voice, "I thought you were just a marauding creature, but instead you actually helped us defend our lives. For that I thank you and I hope you can forgive me". My eyes narrowed on him, I looked back at Luna who was beaming at me. Everypony was looking at me in anticipation. I sighed.

"Fine, I accept your apology. We started off on the wrong hoof and I hope we can become friends". Everypony began to rejoice as I saw a familiar 6 ponies walk towards me. Suddenly I saw a pink mare come behind me and surprised me.

"Do you like it? I knew you were coming thanks to Princess Celestia's letter," Pinkie asked, with her usual happiness in her voice.

"Yes, I like it very much Pinkie," I smiled. I was OK with parties. Guess I have to get used to this now, "What is this for?"

"Well I said I was throwing you a world coming party silly!"

Everypony was playing games, dancing and just having a good time. I was sitting with Twilight on one of the tables where we were talking about my knowledge of magic crystals. At least this pony can challenge my knowledge. As I finished up my lecture I saw a worried expression on Twilight's face.

"What's the matter Twilight?" I asked with concern, she put on a fake smile.

"Nothing".

"There is, what is the matter? You can tell me Twilight," I leaned in to show I was interested.

"Manehatten," She said. That very word sent shiver down my spine now, instead of seeing a big, bustling city. I see a wasteland. "Those poor ponies, I don't think we can stop it Lucas".

"I was there you know," I said. Her ears shot up and she looked at me.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. What was your first reaction?" She asked.

"Get Luna out of there," I replied, "Luckily I was on the highest floor on the hotel so I had some time". Me and Twilight sat there in a deafening silence.

"Lets change the subject".

"Can you teach me how to fire that contraption you used on your first visit?"

"Sorry, I can't. Those weapons kill not pacify".

Me, Twilight and Luna were walking in the town which was bustling with happiness and joy. Luna looked tense and on edge however. Twilight looked at me and looked at her in a way to say, talk to her. She smiled and went off to the main crowd. Me and Luna stopped on a bridge overlooking a river.

"Why so tense my love?" I asked. She sighed as she looked down at the river.

"Are you really going to Manehatten?" She asked me back.

"Only for a few hours," A look of despair and worry appeared on her face, "Do not fret though, It's only a sample collection and I will be escorted by the Canterlot Rangers".

"I trust you Lucas, but I do not want to lose you."

"You won't. That's a promise". We kissed each other before returning back to the party.

After a few hours the party was finished, a carriage came for me. Mystic jumped out of it waving at me.

"My friend, are you ready to go to Manehatten?" Mystic asked with a big grin on his face.

"Don't know why you are so happy about it, but yes I am". I gave Luna a kiss on the lips and waved goodbye and jumped on the carriage. We headed for Manehatten. The forsaken city.

Mystic pulled out some papers that included a map, profiles of the rangers that would accompany me and the battle plan.

"OK my friend, you will be accompanied by 5 of the most elite guards in Equestria," Mystic briefed, "You will then pick up samples from the suburbs, the city centre and if you can, ground zero." I simply nodded along, observing the map and plotting my route.

"Any abnormal threats?" I asked, looking at the previous reports.

"Well the infected seem to be growing in intelligence," Mystic said. I looked at him in shock.

"What do you mean intelligence?"

"Well, our previous scouting group got shot down by javelin fire".

"This is bad, how can they gain intelligence like that in such a fast rate?" Mystic shrugged his shoulders. Soon enough we landed near a forward base near a field generator.

We exited the carriage and was met by four stallions and a mare, each looking sternly at me. They were dressed in platinum coloured armour with a golden trim. On it was an emblem with two wings and a spear in the middle. The ensign of the Canterlot Rangers.

"You must be Lucas," The mare said, she had three stripes on her shoulder pads which denoted that she was the squad leader.

"Indeed I am," I replied, "I assume you are the Squad leader of the Canterlot Rangers?"

"We are. I assume you have been briefed. Not the first time we did an escort and they haven't been properly briefed," She joked. I still had a stern look on my face.

"I have been briefed. I assume you know the dangers of the infected using weapons?" She looked at me and at her squad.

"No..."

"Well then, I best equip you with some better hardware," I grinned. I called down the transport pod which delivered 5 custom made weapons from the workshop, "Take a pick".

The strongest of the five, picked up the LMG. He observed it for a few seconds and a smiled in satisfaction. One of them however asked,

"How in the hay do you use these?" The youngest of the five picked up a SMG and was observing it in confusion. I picked up five jackets that had metallic arms for the guns to be placed in.

"Here, I forgot these," I called, "Target what you want gone and it will be gone. The weapons can be used by the arms as well as you ponies using melee weapons,"

"OK, thanks. Alright everypony! Suit up!" The squad leader rallied.

5 Newly armed rangers were in front of me. The mare had a basic assault rifle in the vest with a golden hilted sword in her hooves. The heavy stallion equipped a LMG onto the vest with a war-hammer in his two hooves. The medic had a shotgun attached with a combat knife. The youngest and lightest of the group had a small SMG with a club in his hoof and finally the support member of the squad equipped a sniper rifle and held a javelin in his hoof. All of them had gas masks, newly fabriacted body armour and a state of the art battle helmet. These 5 together would make an unstoppable team that even a dragon migration would fear. I on the other hand took a very different approach.

"Woah, what kind of egghead are you?" The scout said in awe. Looking at the equipment I had brought with me. I had my trusty Lee Enfield rifle in my arms with a side arm and several grenades equipped onto my belt. What was more interesting to them was the body armour. I was like the knights of the olden days. Completely clad in metal plates. Of course it isn't as primitive. The metal is only one part of the plates I used. I took of my helmet and looked at the 5 battle ready rangers.

"Ready rangers?" I asked, looking at Manehatten.

"Ready, lets go!" The squad leader rallied. We proceeded to go up to the force field which opened for us. Manehatten. The forsaken city.

"No going back now," I muttered as I stepped into the forsaken city once more.