“The number of Rahkshi in Appleloosa has been increasing” Rainbow dash said. She had just returned from a scouting run to Appleloosa with Gilda and they were relaying the information to me. Said griffin groaned in frustration.

“Urg, when are we going to get that town back?” she asked “if we keep sitting on out asses all the time they are just going to keep on coming”

“I am fully aware of what will happen, Gilda” I said, calmly “but we are still trying to figure out an attack plan”

“I have a plan” Gilda said “attack”

“Which is exactly the reason why you aren’t in charge” I said “we can’t just go blindly rushing in” Gilda just groaned in frustration before walking out of the tent.

“She’s right you know” Rainbow said “we need to take Appleloosa, sooner rather than later” I nodded and sighed.

“I know, I just don’t want to order an attack that will end in too many needless deaths” I said, leaning on the table with a map of the desert. Several settlements were now marked with a flag of the 3 virtues, symbolising settlements that we now controlled. Appleloosa, amongst several other northern settlements, still had a flag with a picture of Teridax’s mask above a stylised ‘M’ “if you told me 3 years ago that not only would I be in a land of talking ponies, but also leading a rebellion against Teridax, I would have laughed and told you to take up stand-up comedy” Rainbow snorted.

“Still have a terrible sense of humour I see” she said, I rolled my eyes before walking out of the tent. Most of the settlement of the new-New Altero was comprised of tents with the odd wooden building forming things like shops, the only problems are the sweltering sun…and the Cendox’s. They’re 10 foot long snakes that have a nasty habit of hiding in the rafters of buildings and under furniture, they also like eating anything inedible.

“FUCK OFF!” I yelled, grabbing one of the anaconda sized pests from the rafters of a shop and launching it into the air and past the borders of the city. Rainbow gave a low whistle as she watched it sail through the air before landing some distance away from the settlement with an audible thud.

“Never thought I’d see a Cendox fly” Rainbow said, chuckling before turning to follow after me “Just…don’t let Fluttershy see you do that”

“I somehow doubt even she would object after they ate her tent” I said.

“True” Rainbow conceded. We began walking towards the council tent, Ackaar was discussing something with Tahu when I entered.

“Summon the council members” I said “we’re going to take Appleloosa” they both nodded before leaving, soon they returned along with Turaga Dume, Mata Nui, Tuma, the leader of the Skrall sisters, Nektann and the rest of the leaders of the individual species and groups. Since we had left the tundra the Order had revealed themselves and Helryx was also a part of the council.

“Why have you summoned us?” Helryx asked, I brought up a holo-map and several pictures that Rainbow had taken.

“Teridax has been sending more and more Rahkshi to Appleloosa” I said “if we are going to take Appleloosa, we need to strike sooner rather than later, otherwise Teridax is going to send more, and more, and more, until he has enough to overrun us”

“What do you suggest then?” Mata Nui asked.

“It’s an old tactic from my world called a pincer technique” I said, I tapped the holo-map and multiple arrows began to appear, a gold one at the south of the settlement began moving north “we will drive the Rahkshi back. Then our Teridax, Miserix, the Toa Nuva and Takanuva, Toa Haga and Vapaa’s team will drop from the Jörmungandr and stop the Rahkshi from retreating by blocking their escape and taking control of their forces” as I said this, the red arrow signifying the Rahkshi forces began moving north. And another, smaller gold arrow appeared and moved to block their path. The Rahkshi forces then changed from red to gold.

“What makes you think that this plan will work?” Tuma asked.

“I don’t” I said, crossing my arms “I know it will”

---

It was the next morning, the Jörmungandr was about 30’000 feet above Appleloosa and myself and my team were armouring up and preparing to drop. Tremors rocked the ship as I climbed into the drop-pod.

“Guy’s?” Said Rainbow Dash over the com-link, I could also hear the crack of lightening “you better get your flanks down here, we have *urgh* a lit...shit… little problem”

“Rainbow?” I asked, strapping myself in to the pod “what’s the problem?”

“Oh nothing” Rainbow said sarcastically “Teridax has only turned an old…BUCK OFF, YOU BITCH! *ZAP-BOOM*...’friend’ of mine from the Wonderbolt academy into a Makuta, she’s the only pegasus I know to keep up with me…oh for Celestia’s sake, GILDA? GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE NOW! Look guy’s, just get here and fast” I could hear several lightning strikes in the background.

“We’re on our way” I said, I brought up several screens showing the other five Toa “alright guy’s, you ready?”

“This is Vinyl Scratch, waiting for the drop, motherbuckers”

“This is Scar, ready and waiting”

“Toa-hero Boris, ever-quick and waiting for ground-bound, Fire-spitter”

“This is Minion, ready to bring forth Ragnarok, brother”

“Well then” I said “What are we waiting for?” I then grabbed hold of a lever and pulled it down, I heard five muffled thuds before I heard a loud bang and my drop-pod lurched. I was momentarily dazzled as the morning son pierced though the window.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOO!” Minion called out, I could see five other pods falling just below mine.

“Alright, Rainbow needs some help with an old friend of hers” I said “She’s really fast, think you can give Rainbow a hand, Boris?”

“I’ll do my best” he said, I saw Boris’s drop-pod veer off towards a low level thunderstorm.

“Alright, Rainbow” I said “Boris is on his way, hang tight”

---

*POV 3rd person*

Rainbow Dash hid behind a large boulder.

“Celestia damn it, she’s fast” she muttered, absentmindedly rubbing the shoulder where she was struck by lightning. She peered out from behind the boulder and pulled out a spell pistol “I just need one good shot”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash” Lightning Dust sang, looking around “come out, come out where ever you are” Rainbow Dash quickly pulled herself back behind the boulder and tried to slow her breathing. She could hear the hoof, no, footsteps of the former pegasus approaching, slowly but surely.

“Oh come on, I promise I don’t bite” Lightning said, she then chuckled “heh, heh…much”

“Why are you doing this?” Rainbow asked, she heard the footsteps stop.

“Well, let’s recap” Lightning said “you humiliated me, ruined my reputation and crushed my dream!” Rainbow then heard a blade being unsheathed and Lightning Dust began approaching again.

“You brought it upon yourself” Rainbow said “I didn’t do anything” the Lightning leapt around the boulder and pinned Rainbow Dash by her throat, causing her to drop the spell pistol.

“Try saying that to my face” Lightning said, Rainbow responded by spitting on her face. Lightning punched Rainbow in the stomach before launching her across the desert, the cyan pegasus’s head slammed into a boulder, dazing her. She could just hear Lightning Dust approaching over the ringing in her ears “I’m going to take my sweet time killing you, I want to make this as painful as pos…*oof*” Lightning was cut off as the door to Boris’s drop-pod slammed into her, pinning her to a builder. Boris walked over to Rainbow and helped her up.

“Sorry for the delay” Boris said “can you still battle-fight?” Rainbow nodded.

“Just hold her off for a few minutes” she said, leaning against a boulder and rubbing her head with a hoof “I think that bitch gave me a concussion *ungh*” she winced as she touched a sensitive spot.

“If so, then it’s probably best for you to sit-out this one” Boris said “you can barely ground-walk, let alone battle-fight” Rainbow nodded.

“Sure, just keep her busy” She said, before sitting down and activating her com-link “Fluttershy? Think you could get over here? I think I’ve got a concussion”

“Just a minute” Fluttershy said “DIE RAHKSHI…um…if that’s alright with you”

“Sure” Rainbow said, before resting her head on the boulder and shutting her eyes to try and block the pain. Boris walked towards Lightning when the door shot past him.

“You know?” Lightning said, walking forward “it’s a really bad idea to piss me off” she had a long cut down her chest plate

“Past-late to change that” Boris said, getting out his katanas and pointing one at the former pegasus “sure you don’t want to second-think about this? Not-never too late to turn-back”

“I’m going to enjoy taking you down” Lightening said, before charging towards Boris with her sword drawn.

---

*POV 1st person Vuur Koning*

The drop-pod shook as it impacted into the ground, I kicked the door off, taking out a few of Teridax’s Rahkshi as it shot away. I noticed a Rahkshi had its back turned to me so I got out my hunting knife, I ran towards it, grabbed one of the spines and pulled it down before taking the hunting knife, slicing a big gash in the Kraata compartment and shoving an armed grenade inside. I jumped back and threw my cape in front of me to protect me from the blast.

“Fucking show off” Minion said, walking over after the grenade went off. I let the cape fall behind me to see half of a Rahkshi still standing there, before it promptly collapsed to the ground “Autumn and Vinyl have stuck together, shall we”

“Sure” I said, getting out my sword and shield “just like old times?”

“When have we ever done anything like this?” he asked, shooting and killing a Rahkshi that was approaching from the side without looking, I shrugged.

“Fuck knows” I said. At that point a Rahkshi Kaita, a fusion between three different Rahkshi with all three of their powers, burst through a building, it was built like a centaur and wielded a staff, my jaw dropped “oh come on!” Minion took a shot, but the round just passed straight through without harming it.

“Shit!” he said “density control, try to keep it busy” he then ran off behind a building.

“OH FUCK YOU TOO, BROTHER!” I shouted, the Kaita started to approach and I sent forth a stream of fire from my sword, but it just shrugged it off “Fire resistance as well, great” I jumped to avoid a bolt of lightning sent from its staff. It charged and went to strike me with its staff but I parried just in time, and so we began trying to a back and forth, both trying to land a hit but the other always managing to block.

It seemingly had enough of this as it snorted and promptly kicked me into a building, hiding inside the building were a family of earth ponies and I motioned for them to be quiet, they nodded shakily and I hid behind the wall before getting out my spell pistol and priming it. The pistol gave off a quiet whine that increased in pitch, I could hear the Kaita stomping towards the building.

I took in a deep breath before running from cover and out into the open, the Kaita took the bait and followed me. I levelled my pistol and opened fire, shot after shot went through the Kaita as it charged. Suddenly Minion leapt from the roof of building I was in and landed on the back of the titan sized Rahkshi fusion.

“Überraschung Mutterficker!” he said, before unloading his plasma canon into the Kaita’s Kraata chamber, reducing the top half to molten slag and causing it to drip down in to the other two Kraata chambers, killing the Kraata inside. He then leapt off and landed in front on me just as the twitching, smouldering remains of the Kaita slumped to the floor, he cocked the canon and a red hot, empty cartridge flew out of the side.

“Took you long enough” I said, smirking and giving him a fist bump all the same

Next Chapter: Chapter 60 Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 21 Minutes