I walked through the streets of Manehatten with Babs Seed in my arms, as soon as we’d left the stadium she was out like a light, I walked towards her house and very gently kicked the door with an armoured boot, a dull ‘thud thud’ resounded from the door, after a few seconds the stallion from earlier opened the door, I carefully knelt down, I chuckled slightly.

“Heh, the lass was out like a light once we left the stadium” I said, placing her on the stallions back.

“Do you want to come in for a drink perhaps?” the stallion asked

“Thank you for the offer” I said “but no thanks, it’s late, even by my standards” the stallion nodded.

“Well I won’t keep you” the stallion said “well, good night”

“Good night” I said “and tell Babs Seed I said goodbye” he nodded and slowly shut the door, I began to walk back down the street towards the docks, it was rather quiet, so I was mostly left to my thoughts, I heard a female scream up ahead and bolted towards the source, I got my pistol out and set it to stun, I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice, I looked down an alleyway and saw a group of about 15 stallions trying to attack a mare.

“Oiy!” I shouted “what the bloody hell do you think you are doing!?” one of them turned towards me, whatever he was about to say was silenced as a pony in a dark costume landed next to me.

“Get outa here” she (!) said to me.

“Fuck that” I said “I can hold my own in a fight”

“Really?” she said, sarcastically, I conjured some flames, which began to swirl around my armour, the mare took several steps back to avoid getting burnt.

“You were saying?” I said, raising an eyebrow, one of the stallions started to run towards us, not looking in his direction I levelled my pistol and fire a round, send him sprawling to the ground at our foot.

“Whatever” she said “just don’t get in my way” she said, the stallions started to advance on us.

“So” I said “you take the seven on the left, I take the seven on the right?” she nodded and we charged towards them, I levelled my pistol on one stallion that tried to take me from the side and I shot him point blank in the stomach, the force of the shot sent him flying into a wall, one punched me in the back, I turned around and punched him in the chest, sending him sprawling to the floor, clutching his sides, winded, I kicked another stallion in the side, sending him flying into the wall and landing on top of the other pony, one charged towards me and I sidestepped, elbowing him in the back as he ran past and sending him sliding into the winded pony, all of that was in about five seconds, I looked over to see the masked pony was doing just as well, in my distraction I was tackled to the ground by a huge earth pony who hit me with the force of a freight train, he placed his fore hooves on my chest and began to press down, hard, I cried out in pain, thinking quickly I activated my mask power, the expanding shield sent him flying into a wall, I stood up, ignoring the pain in my chest, I’d probably need to get that checked out tomorrow, I looked around at the ponies still standing, they didn’t seem as confident, the masked mare started backing towards me.

“Get the fuck out of here” I said to the group, getting my sword out, their eyes went wide and they turned tail, leaving the mare that they had tried to attack, once they were gone I slumped to the floor, clutching my sides, the masked mare gasped.

“You’re hurt!” she exclaimed.

“No shit *nng*, Sherlock” I said, I then jerked my head towards the mare “just go and check if that mare is uninjured” the masked mare seemed to hesitate before walking over to the mare, after talking briefly the mare walked of, saying a quiet ‘thank you’ to me as she walked past.

“Right” the masked mare said “let’s get you back to your ship” I nodded and stood up, the masked mare reared up and I put an arm over her shoulder, we then began walking back to the docks

“How exactly do you know I have a ship, and for that matter *nng* who are you?” I asked.

“Call me Mare Do-Well” the mare said “as for how I know you have a ship, anything weird catches my attention very quickly…no offence”

“*nng* none taken” I said.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Here I go by the name of Vuur Koning” I said, I groaned “Autumn’s going to throw a fit when she finds out”

“Because you’ve got cracked ribs, or because you’ve got a mare in your arms?” she asked, I had to suppress my laughter.

“Don’t make me laugh” I said, I paused “Probably a bit of both” she chuckled.

“Mares” she said “Can’t live with ‘em…”

“Can’t live without them” I finished, I saw the rest of the Toa in the distance.

“Vuur Koning?” I heard Autumn call

“Yeah” I called back.

“What happened?” Minion asked when they got closer.

“Ran into a gang in the process of mugging a mare” I said, transferring from Mare Do-Well to Autumn “she showed up, we fought them, and I think I’ve got cracked ribs to show for my trouble”

“How the fuck did you get cracked ribs under all that armour?” Minion asked, I deadpanned.

“I got tackled and pinned by an earth pony that puts Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame” I said “I’d *nng* like to see you come out of a fight with him unscathed, fuck! This really hurts”

“Thank you” Autumn said to Mare Do-well “we can take it from here” Mare Do-Well nodded before turning to me

“Why don’t you lot stay in the city?” she asked “I could use a team”

“Tempting” I said “but we have concerts to perform and a world to explore, plus hiding in the shadows isn’t the Toa way, but if ever we are in Manehatten again sometime in the future and you need help, you’re welcome to come to us”

“I’ll keep that in mind” Mare Do-Well said “well, I bid you farewell, I best be off, somepony has to keep an eye one this city” she tilted her hat towards us before free-running up an alleyway and across the roofs of an apartment block until she was out of sight.

“Right” Autumn said “let’s get you to the ship”

*the next day*

“Tut, tut” the doctor, a white unicorn with brown hair, said in a thick Germane accent “cracked ribs? zis von’t do at all” I was sat on the table at the ship’s infirmary, whilst the doctor was applying a healing spell to my ribs

“Sorry doc…ARG!” I screamed as the ribs cracked back into place “fucking hell that hurts”

“Language, Captain!” the doctor chastised “you may be allowed to say vhatever you want vhilst running this ship, but in here, my vord is law and I say don’t swear”

“Sorry, Doctor Blutaderstauer” I said

“How did du end up vith such an injury?” the doctor asked “I may spend most ov my time down here, but even I know du valk around in that armour all zee time” I chuckled nervously.

“Heh, I was protecting a mare from a gang” I said “I ended up getting tackled and pinned by a huge earth pony” he shook his head.

“Really, Vuur Koning?” the doctor said, rolling his eyes “must du alvays go charging in to save zee demzel in distress?”

*POV 3rd person*

The two Makuta waited for Trixie, who was chained to the ceiling, to wake up, the azure mare stirred.

“Ung, what?” she asked still half asleep.

“Rise and shine, Trixie” a disguised Sauradox said, smirking.

“Hmm, five more minutes” Trixie said, a few second later her eyes shot open “What!? What is this place, the great and powerful Trixie demands that you tell her…”

“Oh, be quiet” Teridax said, walking forward, Trixie’s eyes widened and she screamed, loud enough to crack some of the crystals, the two Makuta raised an eyebrow at that “Are you quite done?”

“Wha-what are you?” Trixie stammered, trembling.

“Someone of great power” Teridax said “you go around saying you are great and powerful, but what if I told you I could make you truly great and powerful, powerful enough to rival even the princesses”

“Trixie already made that mistake once before” Trixie said, trying to escape from the chains “she will not do so again” she tried to teleport, only for her horn to spark, Teridax chuckled.

“oh” Teridax said “I’m not offering you a mere trinket, I’m offering you immortality, control over shadows, and abilities which will make your most advanced spell look like a parlour trick, and you will be able to finally get revenge on Twilight Sparkle” as he said this Sauradox changed into his true form, Trixie’s ears perked up.

“No mind alterations?” Trixie asked “no becoming mad with power?”

“No” Teridax said, he then gestured to his fellow Makuta “ask Sauradox, he used to be a pony, just like you” Trixie looked at the former pegasus.

“Is he telling Trixie the truth” the mare asked, Sauradox nodded before walking away, Trixie hung her head “*sigh* Trixie will do it” when she said this the section of the floor that was directly below her slid away, revealing a pool of energised protodermis, she barley had time to question what it was before the chains disappeared and she dropped into the pool, which began to bubble and glow, after a few seconds Trixie surfaced and let out a bloodcurdling scream as she began to change, her horn elongated and sharpened, her fore-hooves split and began to turn into batwings, her eyes became predatory, her snout elongated and her teeth sharpened into fangs, blood seeped out of her nostrils and eyes and dripped off of her face into the energised protodermis, sizzling once it came into contact with the silvery liquid, her skin and fur turned into blue and silver armour and Teridax walked over and pulled her out, the last thing Trixie heard before she blacked out was Teridax leaning in and saying.

“Welcome to the Brotherhood of the Makuta…Sister Chiratrix”

*POV 1st Person Autumn skies

I stood on the gun deck of the Jörmungandr, looking at the Manehatten skyline, I could swear there was someone standing next to me, but whenever I looked I didn’t see anyone, after about 5 minutes of me rubbernecking I’d had enough.

“For Bucks sake” I said “if you don’t show yourself right now…”

“Don’t talk so loudly” I heard Red Dawn whisper, I could now see a faint outline of…whatever he was, he was about ten feet tall.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“I’m here to warn you” he said.

“About what?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you specifics” he said “but sooner or later, Equestria will fall, whilst I am on the winning side, I still care about you enough to warn you, our side is going from strength to strength, so be ready for it, I don’t like my opponents to be unprepared”

“Join us” I said “help us to stop the threat”

“I’m sorry” he said “but I can’t, I’ve told you too much already” he then disappeared.

“Red Dawn” I said “you show yourself right now you coward…” Red Dawn appeared in full form and pinned me to the railing, a snarl on his face, after a few seconds his expression softened to shock and he withdrew his arm from my neck

“I-I’m sorry, I lost control” he then took a step back and sighed “I don’t like this any more than you do, but I have no choice, if I join your side, he’ll just come after me and kill us all, including your niece, and then nopony will be left to stand in his way, I will be on this ship, but don’t go out of your way to find me and don’t tell Vuur Koning about this, and my name isn’t Red Dawn anymore, I’m Sauradox now” and with that, he disappeared.

“*Sigh* oh, Red Dawn” I said “what have you gotten yourself into”

*POV 1st person Vuur Koning*

I stood in the sparring hall, leaning against the wall, Mata Nui was teaching Scar to fight with a blade, he still needed training, but he had potential, and he was a vicious fighter.

“Anticipate you enemies next move” Mata Nui said, parrying Scars lunge “before he does it, study your opponent, find his weakness” I walked forward and the stopped

“If you know the enemy, and know yourself, you need not fear the result of 100 battles” I said “if you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory gained you shall also suffer defeat, if…”

“If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle” Minion said, walking into the sparring room, I walked towards him and gave him a bro-fist “Sun Tzu; the Art of War, am I right?” I nodded.

“Good to see you, Brother” I said “care to spar, like old times?” he grinned, before walking over to a rack with body length bamboo sticks and picking one up, I did the same.

“I thought you’d never ask, Brother” he said, we walked on to a sparring square “same rules as usual, first to get the other on the floor five times, no head shots?”

“Do we ever do different?” I asked rhetorically, he rolled his eyes before going to strike me from the side, I blocked him and used the opening to jab him in the stomach, he looked suprised “I’ve improved since all those years ago, but I won’t hold back”

“Good” he said, getting back into stance “then neither will I” I grinned before going to strike.

*POV 1st person Autumn Skies*

I walked through the corridors towards the sparring hall I opened the doors and froze, Vuur Koning and his brother were going at each other with bamboo sticks.

“You’ve gone slack after all these years, Brother” Vuur Koning said, smirking and striking Minions right hand, causing him to drop the staff, he then struck him in the chest, sending him sprawling.

“Bloody hell” Minion said “where did you learn that move?”

“I taught him” I said, walking forward and surprising them

“And she can still beat me” Vuur Koning said, looking slightly annoyed, I giggled “laugh it up fuzz ball”

“Oh, don’t be so sore about it” I said

“I’m not sore about it” he said “I just like to be the best I possibly can be, and the fact that I can still be beat annoys me” I leaned towards Minion and mouthed ‘He’s still sore about it’, Minion chuckled.

*POV 3rd person

Trixie, or Chiratrix, woke with a groan.

“Ung, my head” she said, sitting up.

“Ah” Teridax said, sitting on a crystal throne “You survived the transformation” Chiratrix’s eyes snapped open.

“What!?” she said, looking at her body and screaming, eventually she broke down crying “what did you do to me?” tears streamed down her cheeks, Teridax rolled his eyes.

“I gave you power” he said “the power you need to defeat Twilight Sparkle”

“You turned me into a freak” she said “I’m a monster” Teridax growled before sending forth two crystal spikes and embedding them in the ground at Chiratrix, she backed away and Teridax stood up, closing the distance between them.

“I grow tired of your incessant complaining” he said, walking towards her, she backed away until she was against the wall “I gave you gifts, power beyond imagination, and all you do is sob at my feet like a pathetic weakling” he knelt down and lifted up her chin.

“P-please, don’t hurt me” Chiratrix said.

“I would never hurt my own kind” he lied “you should be proud of your new form, now, come child, you have to pick out a mask” he then led her into the chamber filled with masks.

“Why so many masks” Chiratrix asked.

“Each one has a different power” he said “such as shielding, stealing energy from others, invisibility or silence” Chiratrix walked over to a table and levitated a tall, rectangular mask.

“What does this one do?” she asked

“That is the Kenohi Mahiki” Teridax said “it will let you change into anything you can imagine” she hesitantly put it on and it changed to fit her face, the mask glowed and she then began to change to different creatures, a Manticore, a Timberwolf, a Dragon, a Chimera, and finally an Ursa Major; which filled up most of the cave, she changed back and used her Makuta powers to shape shift into her unicorn form, she let out a chuckle and her eyes began to glow red.

“Heh, heh, heh, let’s see Twilight Sparkle beat me now”

*POV 1st Person Vuur Koning*

I was in the part of the ship that was used to carry heavy weapons and vehicles, working on my hover-bike, I was working with a brown female Minotaur, called Gwyneth, who was the daughter of one of the workers in the boiler room, we had just got the propulsion system wired up and we were about to test it.

“Right” Gwyneth said in a north-welsh accent from underneath one of the two propulsion turbines “try it now” I pushed a button and they began to spin, getting faster and fast, they soon reached their idle speed of about 30’000 rpm (turbines are really fast), Gwyneth crawled out from underneath the turbine and gave me a high five.

“Proper job” I said in a Cornish accent, I went to say something else but I heard a bang from one of the turbines and it began to spin faster “Shit, turn it off!” Gwyneth ran the master switch, one of them stopped but the other kept going

“I just did” she said, going pale, the turbine began to spark, she turned to me and meekly said “how do you stop a runaway arcane turbine?”

“Hell if I know” I said, the turbine casing suddenly exploded, sending a row of fan-blades flying towards the door, it was at that precise moment that Minion opened the door, he just managed to move out of the way as it shot past him and embedded in the wall behind him.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?” he exclaimed.

“That was what’s left of one of the turbines” Gwyneth said “you’re lucky it didn’t hit you” we walked over, Minion examined the blade and gave a low whistle.

“How fast was that going?” he asked, looking at us.

“They fail at about 200’000 rpm” I said, Minion went pale

“Are you sure that bike’s safe” he said, looking at the shredded turbine, which was only just beginning to slow down.

“Probably not” I said, shrugging, I pulled the turbine fan out of the wall and examined the blades “well, that’s scrap now” I chucked it at the shredded casing, I then walked back into the workshop and over to one of the spare turbines, I looked at Minion.

“Can you give me a hand?” I asked “these things weigh a ton” he rolled his eyes before walking over and hefting it up… on his own.

“What do you mean?” He said, walking over to the shredded turbine “I could carry two of these no problem” I rolled my eyes.

“Show off” I said, he flipped me the finger before placing the turbine on the ground “well, we should be able to take it from here” he nodded before going off to do whatever it was he was doing, me and Gwyneth disconnected the shredded turbine, Gwyneth burnt her hand on it.

“Tartarus ffycin sy'n creu dolur!” she said, the pain clear in her voice

“You alright?” I asked, she nodded, shaking her hand to dull the pain, I pulled the Shredded turbine away and pushed the new one into place before connecting it up and walking over to the control panel “Right, fingers crossed it won’t blow up this time” Gwyneth laughed and I started up the Turbines and they spun into life, this time without any problems, I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Right” Gwyneth said “on to the next…” she was interrupted by a massive bang, followed by the lights flickering and dyeing for a few second before turning back on.

“The hell…?” I muttered, walking out of our section of the workshop, I heard Minion cheering, I ran towards the source of the sound, he was stood next to a massive cannon, which had leads attached to it, and there was a section of the wall missing, revealing the sky “what the hell is that?”

“I’ve just completed the prototype for a working rail-gun” he said, grinning, before pulling the trigger, electricity arced along the barrel before flames shot forth, the next thing I heard was ringing in my ears.

“AH FUCK THAT THING IS LOUD!” I yelled, holding my ears, the ringing died down eventually “next time, fire it outside, and warn us beforehand” I then went to find the infirmary to get my ears checked

my Brother has an obsession with rail-guns, the last time there was a power cut in out town he theorised that it was the British military working on a top secret Rail-gun project

seriously, those things eat electricity like a star burns hydrogen, but they are a really cool type of weapon, they use an electric pulse (hence the temporary power cut on the ship) to fire a metal slug along two metal rails at about Mach 7, no one is gonna dodge that, and the speed at which the slug leaves the barrel actually causes the air to combust around the slug as it leaves the barrel

Railgun promotional video