Time was a foreign concept to prisoners, between never seeing the sun, and irregular meals, it swiftly became impossible to keep track of anything but the hardships committed to the prisoner's flesh and mind. It was meant to be a means to break a prisoner, mentally. Time, while an inherently human concept, was crucial to a person's well-being.

In many ways, the tiny stone cell was exactly like the isolation cell he'd been placed in at the DRMSI building, and before that, the cell he'd inhabited within the old run down gulag back on earth. Both recent cells paled in comparison to that horrible place. The gulag he'd been imprisoned within for almost a year had been truly a hell on earth. A place where human suffering was so long engrained into the concrete, it was as if the decades of pain pressed down upon a person's mind like a vice and corrupted their very souls. It was a place where the men running it had long since perfected the act of torture, and turned it into a terrible art. They pushed men and women to the breaking point every hour of every day. Nobody left that place alive, unless their ransom was paid, and even then, it wasn't assured.

Jack had been forced to murder his best friend in that place, and it was an act that had long since imprinted itself upon his mind and soul. Everything done to him since was but a drop in the bucket created by the guilt he felt from his actions. The men who ran the gulag had thought they'd broken him. In truth, they had, but not in the way any torturer wants. They wanted him to talk, to divulge every little secret he had available in hopes of stopping the pain they were all too eager to dole out at a moment's notice. Jack did not break in such a way. He broke in a way that left behind a maniac, completely useless to their wants and needs. He was an animal, an animal that was freed after almost a year of hell by a Seal team. He hadn't even been the target of the raid, he was a happy coincidence, and they'd nearly left him behind because of the state they'd found him in.

Carolus had no idea what he was doing compared to those men. He was but a child, flailing futilely at concepts he had no grasp of. He screamed and threw tantrums that got him nowhere; every method used against Jack fell flat, failing to break what was already broken. Deep inside, Jack felt a perverse enjoyment watching the Emperor wipe bloody spit from his fur and squawk shrilly for Ada to continue the torture in his absence. Carolus could never hope to break Jack, nor could he hope to damage anything but his flesh, for his mind was already warped and bound in the burning sand of his past. Jack would not break again, or so he told himself as Carolus entered his cell once again.

“Already awake, are you? Good. I have many questions for you today. Bitch! Bring the tools.” Behind him, Ada once again entered the cell with the trolley full of crude torture devices.

“I don't think you're much of a fast learner.” Jack stretched as best he could in his bonds. “Is that why Mommy and Daddy were going to leave the empire to your sister? I can't blame them, leaving my country in the hands of a limp dicked retard doesn't seem like a good idea.”

Jack's barbed words never ceased to get a rise out of Carolus, though the griffon did his best to hide it. “Your crass insults mean nothing. I'm the Emperor, and you are naught but trash under my talons.”

“Your ruffled faggot feathers are saying different. You know... I wonder if griffon tastes like turkey.” Jack grinned wide as he started laughing.

Carolus scowled hard. “Let us begin. Tell me about your home planet. How many filthy humans are there on it, and what is your military stre-”

“Gobble gobble!” Jack interrupted, before breaking down into hysterics.

“I'm surrounded by idiots… How many-!”

“I heard you, fuck face.” Jack responded flatly as he stretched out his arms as far as the leather bindings would allow, which was about a quarter of an inch. “Do you just want earth, or the colonies too?”

Blinking in shock, Carolus stood silently for a moment. “Th-you… erm… all of it. How many humans?” He seemed caught off guard by Jack's apparent willingness to answer.

“Between two, and… uh… fuck, twenty nine billion. Give or take, I dunno.”

The Emperor blinked hard, and stood back as he tried to make sense of the words. “I don't understand-”

Jack rolled his eye in response as he spoke to interrupt Carolus. “Either Ada and me are the last humans, or not. As for military?” Jack started laughing. “You don't have enough bullets. You think the griffons are good at war? We perfected it, motherfucker. Every grunt on the ground is kitted like me, down to every last crayon eating private sleeping on shift. You step up, we will put you the fuck down.”

“You're lying.” Carolus straightened his feathers. “Bitch, make-”

“You ever wonder how badly things would be going for you if there were two of me?” Jack stared Carolus in the eyes. “What about three? A squad? A platoon? A god damn army? I pushed this backwater shithole’s tech level forward a hundred fucking years just by showing up, and I'm outdated now. Neither you, nor Celestia have any fucking clue the fuck up you're making when you fuck with humans.” Jack leaned forward against his bonds, and all but whispered. “We'll burn your world to ash. If my people don't, then I will.”

“Your bluster is no match to the power of God!” Carolus squawked.

Chuckling, Jack leaned back and let his smile build. “Let me clue you in on something. The last god we had? We crucified him.”

Shaking his head, Carolus turned away. “Ada-” He paused for a moment to clear his throat, in hopes of hiding the higher pitch that had just escaped his beak. “Beat the insolence out of him. I'll be in my chambers.” Ada responded with a simple nod as Carolus walked out.

Jack's laugh started as a chuckle, before it swiftly broke down into a maniacal laugh. “Gobble gobble!” Carolus shuddered as he exited the cell, and the door slammed shut behind him.

Ada approached, and Jack immediately stopped laughing. He could hear the clicks of Carolus’ talons on the stonework growing ever fainter as he walked away. His eyes flicked up toward Ada as she began wrapping her knuckles. “Are you in there Ada?”

He grunted in pain as she struck him hard in the stomach. The beating began, and seemed to last for hours. Jack bore it, endured it as best he could. His body ached painfully from each blow she rained down upon him, but he knew it would end soon. All he had to do was bide his time. Survive.

It started with a waver. Ada drew her fist back, and hesitated. Her hand shook, and sweat beaded on her forehead from effort. The blow came all the same, landing hard upon his abused ribs.

“Ada-” Jack grunted in pain again as she struck him. “Ada, I know you can do this… you can fight it, you gotta fight! You can do this!” He spoke through bloody clenched teeth.

The woman wavered again, and dropped her fists. His blood speckled her soft cheeks as she grit her teeth. Slowly she brought her hands up to her head; her face contorting in agony. “Get… get out of my head!” She let out a high pitched shriek of pain as she stumbled, nearly falling against the wall.

“Darlin’, listen to my voice, okay? You can do this!” Jack strained against his bonds. “You just need to cut me loose, and I'll get you out of here, I can save you!”

Tears running down her cheeks, Ada nearly fell to her knees. “O-oh god… oh god! J-Jack! Luv, luv please! It hurts! It hurts so fookin bad-” The woman's body shuddered violently, just before she vomited onto the floor. She panted, taking in great heaving breaths of laboured air as she struggled on her own. “P-please- j-just… just stop-!” She gasped, her hands now shaking violently as they dug bloody furrows into her scalp.

Jack strained further, willing himself to rip his bonds apart so he could help her. He regretted it now, asking Mark to push her. It was his fault she was in agonizing pain. “Just cut me loose! Please Ada! Please!” He begged her, his own voice going hoarse with hysteria.

With great effort, Ada pushed herself up, and drew his knife from her belt. Determination filled her eyes as she took leaden steps toward him. As she pulled her arm back to stab him in the stomach, Jack clenched his eye shut in anticipation. The pain of the blade entering his stomach never came, instead the sound of the monoblade thumping down through the leather and into the wood chair met his ears. Stumbling back as Jack looked to his cut restraint, Ada grit her teeth and fought back a pained scream, only to fail moments later.

“F-fuck! FUUUUUCK! GOD!” She fell to her knees, her whole body shaking like a leaf. Tears stained her cheeks as she slowly drew his revolver out of it's holster. “I want to go home!” She blubbered in terror and pain. “I want me Mum!” She slowly lifted the shaky gun barrel toward him.

Ripping at his bonds with energy he hadn't had for weeks, Jack continued to speak to her as she struggled. “Almost there, just hold on a little longer Darlin! I'm gonna take you home Ada, I promise, please, just hold on a little longer!” He struggled with the heavy chain that pinned his legs in place, keeping him stuck to the chair.

The revolver roared in the confined space, and Jack felt agony lance across his thigh as the fat hollow point ripped a furrow through his flesh. The gun went off again, blasting the chain off his legs as Ada jerked the weapon to the side. “NO! I WON'T!” She grit her teeth as she shakily began to lift the weapon again. “I just wanna go home… Mum…” She strained so greatly, the veins in her neck bulged and blood dribbled from her nose and ears. Tears still flowing freely, she lifted the revolver up to her head. “Jack, tell me Mum, I-I’m so sorry-”

“NOOO!” Jack wrenched the chains away from his legs, and threw himself from the chair. Tackling Ada, they both struck the wall as the gun went off. Jack jerked as Ada's grey matter splattered off the wall and into his face. He slumped, cradling her body as it stiffened and went through its death throes. His lips quivered as his body shook; her eyes had rolled back into her head, and blood poured freely onto him from her open mouth. Letting out a weak whimper, Jack hugged the dead woman tightly, before slowly rocking back and forth. “Nonononooono…. Fuck.. fuck… I'm so sorry Ada… I'm so fuckin sorry…” He cringed in sorrow, his whole body beginning to convulse as the flickering flame of anger built in his chest. “Just stop… Just... Fucking… Take… ME!!! COME ON GOD!! TAKE ME YOU SON OF A BITCH! TAKE ME INSTEAD!!” Jack screamed at the ceiling, but no response came. The inferno of anger quickly extinguished, leaving him cold, naked, and alone. “Just leave my friends alone…”

He remained there for what felt like centuries, holding Ada close as her body cooled. Slowly, he ran the palm of his hand over her eyes, closing them once and for all. The blood spattered across his face and body was becoming tacky, but he hardly noticed it. It was the soft clicking of talons approaching the cell that snapped him out of his stupor. His eyes flicked to the revolver still held in her hand, the weapon long since cooled much like Ada’s corpse. He shuddered, and was nearly sick at the thought of taking the weapon as his own once again. Gently tugging Ada's dog tags off, he crossed the small cell, and slowly drew his blade out of the chair arm, Jack stood, and slowly limped to the door. Pushing it open, he came face to face with a griffon guard, whose eyes shone with blue magic.

“Hal-” The griffon had just opened his mouth when Jack crammed the blade into his throat, and the magic held within saw the guard's head pop off like a toy. The body clattered to the ground, leaving Jack to collect the rifle the guard had been holding.

Without a sound, Jack began to slowly follow the directions the voice in his head gave him. Left. Right. Straight. Right. Straight. Down. Down. Left. Down. Straight. Right. The castle was like a maze, and his oozing leg wound only served to slow him further. He soon came across more guards as he travelled, and he fell upon them as a machine. The imperial pattern rifle kicking against his shoulder was a muted backdrop as he fell into long ingrained training. Cold and methodical, the guards he fell upon had no chance. Mozambique style, he placed two fat bullets in the center of their chests, before putting a final round between their eyes as he walked by, never skipping a beat. When his magazines ran dry, he'd discard the weapon without a second thought, and pick up another from the fallen, or grapple the nearest target to rip the weapon from their talons and turn it back upon its owner. The shots drew more guards, but their hindered minds wouldn't allow them to keep up with the automatic reflexes and animal instincts that Jack's body fell into as his mind shut down. Those that closed in with him were grappled roughly, his hands and fingers gouging out throats and eyes as he deflected their blows, before slamming his blade down repeatedly into their bodies. No cover would save them, as he fired on exposed limbs, forcing them into his line of fire. No numbers would help them, as he often slipped into the shadows of cover, and ambushed the guards as they searched. They'd all die in the end, as Jack moved for his objective.

No alarm sounded as he slowly willed himself forward. He was spent. Shot out. Shot up. He finally felt the hunger of days gone by without food. His lips were cracked from dehydration, to the point of bleeding. He shut his eye for a long moment, before opening it again; any longer and his body threatened he would never open it again. Up ahead lay what the voice in his head told him was the laboratory that held his armour and rifle. The guard at the door died without a sound as Jack slid the monoblade into his throat. The vicious magic within spoke again in the quiet, severing the guard's head with a snickersnack . Letting the headless guard fall, Jack pushed open the door, and entered the lab.

Inside were three labcoat clad griffons, busied with projects he couldn't make out. Two stood over a bench, chatting, while another was near his armour. They didn't look up as he entered, and didn't notice him walking toward his exo-skeleton as it lay on a table nearby. Tools surrounded his exo, though it appeared they lacked the specialist instruments to take it apart. Throwing on the exo skeleton, Jack didn't make so much as a peep as it inserted itself deep into his plugs, and anchored. The scientist by his armour looked up, his eyes lacking blue magic.

“Oh? It appears Carolus was successful. Are- Oh god's above, they didn't even wash you. Eugh…” The griffon waved a paw before his face as he looked over Jack. “If they're sending you out, why don't you just climb into that armour of yours, and let me run some tests?”

Jack ignored the griffon as he approached his armour, and activated it. The scientists all watched and murmured to each other as the armour opened up for Jack. Stretching his agonized limbs, Jack let out a quiet growl.

Father, you are hurt badly! May I… enter your armour and look after you?

“Yes.”

One of the griffons looked up at Jack from his clipboard. “I'm sorry, what?” Unheard by the scientists, the internal systems of his armour engaged, and limited medical care was administered to his battered body. Functions normally controlled by his helmet were finally kicking in, and after a moment, he felt the cool wash of morphine enter his system. His eyes fluttered briefly as the scientists talked amongst themselves. He had to do something, otherwise he’d fall flat on his face.

“Administer Berserker, half dose.” Again, the scientists looked to him in confusion as the needles in his armour plunged deep into his flesh, and injected the deadly combat drug. The weeks of fatigue ebbed away; the pain became fuel, and hatred became a guidance system. Growling, Jack stretched his limbs, and looked to the griffons. “The teleporter. Where.”

Nodding to each other, the griffons spread out among the lab. “So you are going to Canterlot! We've finished the items meant for you, as per the emperor's orders.” Jack held his tongue as he watched the griffon scientists collect three items. Laying them out before Jack, the lead scientist pointed to each and spoke clearly. “This is your new helmet, the old one was apparently destroyed. The Emperor wished for you to look terrifying.” The mask and helmet looked like a tight fit, but they would do. The mask mirrored a Progeny's face, twisted in terrible wrath. It was a visage that was supposed to inspire terror, but all he felt was cold hate when he looked at it. Jack pulled on the helmet, welcoming the dark before he adjusted the leather straps to fit properly. “Next, is a new weapon and ammunition. It's-” Jack reached out and grabbed the beefy double barrel boomstick without waiting for the scientist to speak. The barrels were twice as large in diameter and thickness as any shotgun he'd ever fired, though they ended just after the foregrip. The breach was heavily reinforced, if only to better accept the ammunition, which was more akin to elephant gun rounds than any shotshell he'd ever seen. Cracking the weapon open, he inserted two mammoth shells into it, and snapped it shut with a satisfying thump-click. “It's a Slug Thrower. Walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. Our top of the line.” The scientist finished proudly. “Twenty eight shells are in the satchel, four gauge in size loaded with quadruple aught steel shot. Is that satisfactory?”

“It'll do.” He ran a hand over the weapon, gauging the craftsmanship. The solid walnut furniture was stained a deep burgundy and reinforced with bands of steel, while the heavy gauge cobalt blue steel receiver was finely wrought, if a little basic in form. It lacked any engravings and only sported some basic stampings; the weapon seemed to exude a sense of brutal simplicity. The stamp 001 sat proudly upon the top of the receiver, just below the Imperial Armoury stamp. Slipping it into the leather holster provided, Jack walked over to one of the other tables, where his rifle lay dismantled. The focus lenses were laying on the table without a cloth to protect them, and the primary buffer ring had a half inch crack in it from where it had been forced out with crude tools. The rifle was ruined, he could tell that much at a glance, and the sight fueled a furious anger that welled deep in his chest. His munitions bag was nearby however, and within it were several frag grenades. A weak consolation prize if there ever was one.

Just as the scientists nodded to each other in satisfaction, the alarm sounded, and Carolus’ shrill voice sounded over the crude speaker system recently installed. “All guards to the dungeon! DO NOT LET THE HUMAN ESCAPE!”

Drawing the slug thrower and leveling it at the scientists, Jack spoke simply. “The teleporter.”

The scientists looked between a each other in realization, before the eldest among them lifted his beak and sneered. “We'll never help-”

KRATHOOM

The slug thrower shook the room as it spoke, and the defiant scientist exploded in a puff of blood and feathers. His demolished body spattered against the wall before falling to the floor with a wet squelch.

“The teleporter.” Jack spoke again as blue tinged smoke wafted from the gun barrel.

“R-right this way!” One of the scientists spoke, motioning toward the door.

“You traitor! God will punish-”

KRATHOOM

The willing scientist flinched in terror as his coworker shared a similar fate to the brave one. “Oh God… R-right this way… human...” The Griffon began leading him, albeit slowly, through the halls, though Sammy kept him going the right direction. Once, the scientist tried to take a left when he should have turned right, but froze as Jack cracked open the double barrel and let the spent brass clatter to the ground loudly.

“Wrong way.”

“O-of course, my mistake!” Turning around, the scientist finally led him to the teleporter room. Several other griffons milled about, though their eyes held far more magic than the one leading Jack.

“Turn it on.” He growled lowly, before giving the traitor a mild shove. Approaching the console, the traitor griffon quickly tapped his talons against the runes that adorned the panel. Jack slowly walked forward as the teleportation ring came to life, just as guards rushed in. Grenade spools clattered to the ground by his feet as he lazily threw the frags at the guards. The concussive blasts shook the room, just as the other controlled griffons rushed forward to stop him. His double barrel spoke twice, clearing his way as it tossed the nearest griffons back like broken toys. Ejecting the shells, he inserted two more, and mechanically shut the weapon again. As he walked through, Jack blew the traitor griffon in half, and left two more frag grenades in his wake. The magic bubble encompassed him and his armour, though it thankfully didn't touch him as it transported him instantly to Canterlot, just as the frag grenades destroyed the room a second after he was whisked away.

Vinyl Scratch was having a bad day. Stuck inside Blueblood’s Canterlot mansion for the day, she could think of a million things she'd rather be doing so late at night, and being surrounded by stuffy nobility was not remotely close to the list. Blueblood had called the meeting earlier in the day, and Vinyl had only been half awake when she'd accepted it. Now she was stuck. Stuck in his house, in this stupid dress, listening to him prattle on and on and on about such asinine bullshit. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, before glancing about the room. Apparently she'd been invited to this new 'society’, though it appeared others had been in the group for longer. Among the newcomers was herself, the now Ex-Mayor of Cloudsdale, and a small hoofful of minor nobility. The help milled about, seeing to the guests refreshments and comfort.

“Refreshment?” A cutely dressed maid stood by her, and offered some red wine. Vinyl idly glanced at her, before giving her a once over. The mare seemed familiar somehow. Her nametag read 'Poppy’. Not a name she knew.

“No. Thanks.”

She had to admit, she hadn't been paying much attention to what was being talked about, but when she heard the name Jalgromak, she suddenly felt as though she should have been paying far more attention.

“Celestia is abusing her position as monarch.” Blueblood said simply as he sipped his drink. “Her war 'tax’ is theft, pure and simple. She steals from us all, with the threat of sending us to the front if we step out of line! The gall!” Nobles nodded in agreement all around him, and continued their murmured agreement of treason. “I've spoken with Imperial patriots, and let me tell you all right now, everything we've been hearing has been propaganda! It's an excuse to take our power for herself, and waste it upon frivolous tripe.” Blueblood looked at everyone, belief apparent in his eyes. “Why else do you think so many ponies have joined them so quickly? They have a god with them, the god of order! Let me ask you all, how is order a bad thing?”

Vinyl's disbelief reached it's peak, just as things clicked in her mind. Blueblood was an imperial sympathiser. She looked around, gauging the responses of others. She found them all agreeing with Blueblood; they were practically broke because of the treaty. The only reason Vinyl wasn't was because she'd been smart enough to keep her business under a different name. She'd also been there when Celestia had created the treaty, she'd signed it personally. The perks of being an undead monster. Unfortunately, these ponies had been born into fabulous amounts of coin, and suddenly finding themselves without it was enough to shake them deeply enough to listen to clear doomsday propaganda. Frowning, Vinyl slowly began making her way for the door. On her way there, she nearly ran into the Ex-Mayor of Cloudsdale. The mare frowned as she looked at Vinyl.

“Excuse me, you're in the way of the door.”

Vinyl lifted a brow. “You don't believe this shit either? I'm getting out of here before it gets out of hoof.” She spoke quietly to the other mare, as Vinyl wasn't stupid enough to voice her dissent around so many traitors.

The Ex-Mayor nodded in agreement. “Indeed. I may loathe some recent decisions by the crown, but treason is where I draw the line.”

“Excuse me, ladies!” Blueblood called out to them, causing Vinyl to curse under her breath. “I hope you weren't planning on leaving so soon. The entertainment is on the way.”

Vinyl pushed forward the best fake smile she could, and beamed at Blueblood. “Sorry, I've got other things to attend to, I have to say I'm not all that interested in all of this.” Turning, Vinyl tried the door, only to find it bathed in magic, keeping it sealed shut.

“You'll find leaving rather difficult. We can't have a filthy snitch turning us in to our oppressors.” Blueblood whistled, Just as Vinyl barred her teeth at him.

“Bastard spawn of a whore!” Vinyl charged her horn, head to launch an attack at any who came for her.

Blueblood chuckled as his trump card exited the basement, and Vinyl's magic faltered in horror. A number of nobles gasped in shock as the thin progeny stood tall and grinned happily. “The imperial crown has sent we downtrodden freedom fighters a soldier of God.”

The Progeny paced toward Vinyl, glee shining in its beady eyes. Despite herself, Vinyl took an involuntary step backwards as the monster reached forward and grasped both her and the ex mayor.

“Let me go you freak!” Vinyl flailed, trying to break free from the beast's grasp.

“Dispose of them.” Blueblood spoke loudly, and the other nobles murmured quietly.

The order elicited an excited giggle from the Progeny, and Vinyl's eyes widened in pain as it's grip tightened. Before it could pop her head off like a cork, the basement door banged open again, and the mansion went dead quiet, everyone having frozen in place.

Jack stood at the top of the stairs, his eye slowly scanning the scene from behind his terrible mask. Without a second thought, the Progeny dropped Vinyl and Grace to the floor as it turned it's sights on him.

“W-who are you!? What are you doing in my home!?” Blueblood yelled. “A-are you more reinforcements from the Imperials?” His voice became somewhat tempered as he tried to reign himself in.

“No.” In the blink of an eye, Jack's monoblade plunged deep into the progeny's chest, and ripped upwards as he bisected it. The beast reeled as Jack rammed the barrel of his gun into the oozing wound, and fired both barrels into it's chest. The Progeny toppled as if it had been punted by a vengeful god, and skidded to a stop by the wall. The traitor nobles froze for only a moment, as the heavy brass shells clattered loudly off the fine wood floor. “I'm the entertainment.”

“Kill all of these bastards, Jack!” Vinyl cried out to him. As if he needed any encouragement after all that had happened. The mansion devolved into chaos as the nobles tried to flee through magically locked doors. Those that stood against Jack, died. Those that ran, died. Those that hid, died. The mansion guards came galloping at the sounds of slaughter, but found themselves unable to do so much as cause the methodical death machine to falter for a moment, before falling to him as well. He and his shotgun never spoke again in that house, as his blade did all the talking he ever needed to. Expensive clothing did nothing to stop the magically enhanced blade as it cut down traitors, and slicked the floors and walls with blood and viscera.

As the screams for mercy slowly dwindled, Grace peered out from behind the bookshelf where she'd taken cover. Vinyl slowly peeked up over a toppled chair, just as the house help all quickly ran for the door. The help piled on around it, trying to force the door open as Jack slowly walked back. Stepping out, Vinyl waved him down. “Jack! I don't know where the hell you came from, but I'm damn glad you came when you did. Did you get Blueblood?”

The alabaster vampire unicorn let out a surprised 'meep’ as the mammoth twin barrels of Jack's shotgun leveled with her eyes. “Library with the candlestick. Explain yourself.”

“W-fuck, jack… I'm not with these assholes, they tried to kill me! I might not like Celestia sometimes, but I'm not going to commit treason!” Vinyl swallowed nervously, before slumping in relief as Jack slowly looked to Grace, who stiffened, and promptly pissed herself in terror.

Slowly, Jack approached her, until he towered above her; his armour still wet with blood and filth. “P-please don't kill me… I'm not a traitor! I-I have a family!”

“She's telling the truth, we both almost died.”

“Grace.” Not bothering to aim his gun at her, Jack lightly cuffed her across the muzzle, which translated to her nearly being floored by a metal backhand. “Cunt.” Without another word, he walked through the crowd of terrified maids, cooks, and butlers toward the door. Somebody found the guts to tell him it was locked, but the information seemed to fall on deaf ears as he lifted up a heavy metal leg, and pistoned the door, the frame, and a portion of the wall out into the street. The help hesitated for a moment, before stampeding past him and into the dark streets. Vinyl approached, just as Jack's hand shot out, and grabbed one of the maids by the throat. The mare squealed in terror as he lifted her up the wall and turned his full attentions to her.

Jack knew this pony. This mare. He knew her oh so very well. “Poppy Gallipoli.” He growled at her like a hellhound, and glared hard enough to melt steel. The mare whimpered as his grip tightened. “Cunt.”

“P-PLEASE- I'm sorry! I-I have a fa-faaam-ach!”

“Jack, what the fuck are you-!” Vinyl stopped in shock as Jack crushed Poppy's throat, and dropped her to the floor. The mare squirmed and gasped for air that wouldn't come; her face quickly turning blue as her eyes bulged in agony. She began to spasm, her legs kicking futilely as death slowly claimed her. Without another word, Jack exited the mansion, and began his slow plod toward the castle in the distance. “F-fuck me running… humans…” Vinyl shook her head, and took off after the marine.

Humming to herself, Celestia slowly relaxed into her pile of pillows and levitated a small plate of cake closer. Her cutlery clicked and clattered quietly as she cut herself off a small slice. As it neared her mouth, somebody rapidly knocked on her door, causing the princess to slump her shoulders and let out a tired sigh. Setting aside the cake, she straightened her appearance. “Come in!”

The guard burst in, looking as if her were out of breath. Celestia raised worried brows as the guard came to a crashing salute. “Princess! There's been an incident in the Noble district!”

Now he held her interest fully. Adjusting herself, Celestia nodded to the guard. “Go on. What sort of incident?”

“Well… neighbors reported a commotion from Prince Blueblood's mansion. We responded, and… t-they’re all dead, ma'am…”

Celestia paled, and blinked. “I'm… sorry. Come again?”

“There was the body of one of the Imperial monsters there, a Progeny? It was slain as well. It is… I've never seen anything like it, Princess… we may have a monster on the loose.”

Failing to hide her shock, her regal composure slipped for a moment as Celestia tried to take it all in. “Who… is among the dead?”

“We're having trouble identifying the bodies… but we count twenty eight so far.”

“Of course… thank you. Please, return to your post. I'll ensure the right ponies are informed.” As the guard nodded, and made his exit, Celestia quickly jotted out a missive for her Guard Captain to double patrols around the castle grounds, and for everyone to be alert. Little did she know, the monster she was hunting had already entered the castle grounds.

His boots sank deep into the frozen grass of the castle grounds as he leapt over the boundary wall with ease. Vinyl followed, though with considerable more effort.

“You're lucky I know the magic to do that… what's going on? You're acting… weird.” Vinyl trotted to his side and looked up. “You're acting twigged, man. Little bit more murderous, and a lot less chatty than usual.” She smiled a little, but his twisted mask betrayed nothing.

Without warning, he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, and hoisted her up over a low balcony. “What do you see.”

Biting back a scathing curse at his lineage and siring, Vinyl turned her attention back to the task at hand. Looking into the room, she saw several human maids cleaning and loading various firearms. “Looks like… maids, with guns.”

“Human?”

“Yeah, duh.” Vinyl frowned at him as he set her down, and drew his knife. “Oh boy, here you go killing again…”

“Can it.” Jack placed his thumb and forefinger on the edge of the blade, and drew it to the length of a short sword. Vinyl whistled as the blade extended with ethereal fire, before solidifying into steel identical to the rest. With a leap, he caught the edge of the balcony, and pulled himself up. A cry of alarm went up among the humans inside, but it didn't do them any good. As Vinyl climbed up to the balcony, she could hear the sounds of death coming from the room, and the inhuman noises that joined it. Pulling herself over the balcony, the room that had been quiet and collected moments prior was now a warzone. The bed was overturned, items were strewn about, and several dismembered and bisected bodies lay in heaps. Her nose crinkled as their changelings disguises failed one by one, revealing the twisted, disgusting unnatural look each held.

“What in the nine hells… these are changelings! Human… Human changelings… by the sun and moon…” Vinyl exclaimed softly as she gestured to the bodies.

“One got away.” Jack responded flatly as he cracked open his shotgun and checked the load.

“Jack, please, just explain what the fuck is going on! I'll help you, I just want to know!”

He paused by the door, before glancing her way. “They fucked me. Made me their monster. My friends paid the price.”

Wincing in sympathy, Vinyl approached his side. “That's so shitty… are-”

“I am in a world, of shit. This, is what they wanted. The blood, and the guts, and the big bad fuckin monster.” Without another word, he shouldered the door open, and began stalking the halls of Canterlot Castle.

Running his hand through Flitter's mane, Darneil smiled to himself as he gave her a little bit more magic to keep her complacent. A couple more days, and he'd have full control of the mare. He smiled a little wider when he thought of his new plan to kill both Celestia and Luna in one go, without dooming himself. Knight Lieutenant Falenas was a crucial part in that plan, as was a big bag of explosives. A small part of him wondered if he would have the time to finish with her. Her squad mates were beginning to grow suspicious of him, the sergeant Minerva, and changeling Baron especially.

Exiting her room, Darneil, now Jack again, fixed his clothes idly. His attention was raised when Asmodeus came skittering around the corner, looking utterly terrified. “Asmodeus? What-”

“He's returned!” The changeling hissed at him.

“Who?” Jack quirked a brow as Asmodeus barely slowed.

“Havok! The destroyer you disguise yourself as!”

“Oh.” Darneil felt panic for the first time in a long time as he saw all of his plans blowing away before him like dust in the wind. “Go. Begin the plan. We still have a chance of salvaging it. With luck, his return will give us a distraction.” Jack pushed the maid away, who nodded and took off at an awkward sprint. Checking the gun at his hip, Jack took a soft, steadying breath as he began to walk toward Celestia's chambers.

Taven galloped through the halls with a small strike team behind him. Shouldering open Flitter's door, he spoke quickly as she drew her sidearm. “We've got an intruder! Are you good to move?”

Practically throwing herself out of bed, Flitter nodded, and caught the body armour as it was thrown at her. “Do we know where? Jack was just here, we need to find him!”

“Intruder apparently started near Jack's room, guards are scrambling!” Taven waited a moment as Flitter pulled on her heavy body armour. “Let's go! Diamond formation, six hoof spread!”

Vinyl was having a bad night. Following in Jack's wake, she muttered to herself as he threw an unwitting guard into a wall, knocking them unconscious. “Guess I'm getting hung for treason anyway…”

“Halt! Stop!” A guard yelled, only to go down as Jack hurled an ancient bust at them, blowing them off their hooves with a cloud of priceless marble.

Vinyl slowed slightly when she realized where they were heading. “No. Jack, no! You can't take on Celestia, for fucksake!”

“Go home.” Was all he said as he continued on his path.

“I'm not going to let you kill yourself!”

“Try and stop me.”

Vinyl stopped, and let out an angry cry. “Fucking humans!”

Not bothering to knock, the imposter passed the guards at Celestia's door and pushed inside despite their yells of protest. The princess looked up from her parchment as she lay on a bed of silk pillows. “Jack? What brings you here?”

“Business.” He responded simply as he reached for his pistol, only to stop as the JSOG strike team pushed through the doors.

“There he is!” His blood ran ice cold at the words Taven spoke. Thankfully, no shots rang out. “Jack, we've got an intruder, your majesty, we may need to take you someplace safer.”

Feeling an immense sense of relief, Jack nodded to his soldiers, just as Flitter cantered forward and nosed his hand. “Let's go Jack.”

His eyes flicked to the princess as she stood and donned her regalia. “Right. Princess? Anywhere in mind?”

“We must retrieve Luna.” Celestia strode out of her room, and the others followed her before making a very abrupt stop just past the door. Down the hall, stood a man in power armour, wearing a mask wrought to inspire terror. Hot blood slicked his armour as slow, methodical breaths came from the mask.

“Oh hell…” Vinyl murmured as she looked at the collected firepower now raised against her and Jack.

“Intruder! Put your weapon down and you'll be spared.” Celestia spoke with a booming voice as the JSOG strike team fixed their weapons on them. “You've stolen armour from our ally, but don't think it will protect you.”

Jack stood across from the firing line, staring down the barrels of a half dozen automatic rifles. Flitter leveled her pistol with his head and scowled deeply at him. Betrayal sprang forward in his mind, before he saw himself, standing behind Celestia. The mirror replica of himself smirked at him. The smirk was all that was needed to ignite his short wick.

With slow movements, he reached for his shotgun.

“Don't! Don't do it!” Taven yelled as he aimed for the intruder's face.

“Just put his ass down! We can't take any chances!” The other Jack yelled, and Jack watched as Flitter slowly squeezed her pistol's trigger.

He met Celestia's eyes, and found them burrowing into his brain. They made him angry. She made him angry. This all just… made him so goddamn ANGRY!

Taking a single stride forward as he drew his weapon, Jack's world was suddenly ripped aside and he sent tumbled as a great magical strike launched him through the wall and out into the south lawn. Crashing through statues and bouncing across the lawn, he soon came to a stop just before the statue of Discord.

Well… that's ironic.

As he stood, bullets ripped through the air and crashed against his armour. They were shooting at him. He was being shot at by JSOG. Again. Ducking behind cover, he glanced down at his shotgun, before fervently shaking his head. He'd do it without the gun.

Across the lawn, The imposter stood behind the firing line as they kept the armoured beast at bay with automatic fire. He had to kill him, somehow. Wracking his brain, Darneil tried to think of a way to kill the real version. It hit him like a ton of bricks, and caused a sick grin to split across his features. Pulling the detonator from his cammies, Darneil flicked open the safety cover, and toggled the trigger.

Nothing.

Scowling hotly, he squeezed the trigger again, and again, and agai-KABOOOM! The statue of Discord exploded into a maelstrom of chaotic energy, dust, and marble shrapnel.

The explosion threw Jack off his feet, and deposited him on his ass several feet away. His head swam dangerously, and the ringing buzz in his ears refused to leave. The well manicured grass beneath him was turning to bloody sand. “NO.” He hissed out through clenched teeth as Celestia screamed in horror and anguish. “I. WILL. NOT. DIE!” His own voice sounded distant and tiny through the ringing, as did the yells as he dug his fingers into the marble statue before him. He couldn't stand. Couldn't muster the strength.

Your legs are gone, Jack. the insidious voice of his friend hissed in his ear as he fought to stand.

“No… no, not again…” He could feel the panic gripping his heart and mind. The grass turned to sand, and the ringing turned to screams.

A small yellow rod rolled to a stop next to him as the strike team began to slowly advance. His eyes locked onto the rod as energy crackled off it, willing him to grab it, and pull himself from the hell he was in. As a bullet glanced off his helmet, his mind was made up.

Drawing the sabot pistol from it's holster, Darneil checked to make sure the safety was off as he pointed it at the back of Celestia's head. It was now or never. A sudden flash of energy drew his attention for a split second as he began to squeeze the trigger, and for the second time, Darneil knew true terror.

Chaotic energies crackled off Jack's armour as he stood, the rod clutched in his steady hand. He could feel a strength welling up inside him, a strength that wasn't his own. The strike team faltered, caught in their own horror as he stood tall and chaos energy rippled across his armour. Across the lawn, he could see the imposter with his gun to the back of Celestia's head.

Forget her! Remember what she's done to you, and take the rest of the power! We're almost there!

The voice in his head was elated, excited beyond measure. He no longer sounded like the friend Jack had killed.

Father you are being fooled Another voice spoke, distant and tiny, but he knew he could trust it. Trust her.

He was angry.

Celestia had a moment to suck in a breath of surprise as the bar of chaotic energy was hurled by the intruder, and struck her flat across the muzzle, causing her head to snap back. A ball of virulent plasma washed across her sight a split second later.

Darneil cursed as the shot missed, and jerked the weapon over to reacquire the princess’ head. He never got his second shot as a fell helmet struck his chest, and threw him off his feet.

Jack snarled as he stood tall, and the strike team froze in place.

“Jack?” Taven asked softly.

“N-no…” Flitter stumbled as the ghoulish man strode across the grass toward them.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, Baron cursed brightly. “I KNEW IT! I KNEW HE FELT WRONG!”

Jack's strides became a jog, which turned into a run as he blitzed by the strike team. They yelled to him, but he ignored them, the traitors they were. He was nearly upon the bastard copy, when he ran face first into a wall of godly strong magic.

Closing the shield dome down around Jack, Celestia spat blood and tried to clear her bleeding nose. Casting a baleful glance over at the fallen copy, she- She froze in shock. The copy was gone. Jack roared and slammed his balled up fists into the shield, causing hairline fractures to appear as his titanium smashed into the pure magic.

“Jack! Stop!” Celestia yelled as Flitter fell.

Taven was immediately at her side, shaking his superior. “Flitter! Flitter what's wrong?”

Her face was awash with agony and shame, her features twisted painfully as tears rolled from her eyes. She'd failed. Again. She'd been fucked by an imposter.

The now catatonic Flitter didn't respond when Celestia's shield shattered, and Jack leveled his shotgun with the Princess's face. Celestia took an involuntary step back as she stared down the face of a killer.

He sneered at her with more hate than she'd felt in a thousand years, since Luna's fall. “We aren't done here.” He lowered his weapon, and began to stalk toward the castle. “Administer Berserker, half dose.”

Darneil was fucked. He knew it. He could feel it, deep down. He was doomed to die in this castle, and it was all Carolus’ fault. He ran through the halls at a terrified pace, passing by guards who were rushing to their Princesses aid. He didn't care for them, they meant nothing. All that mattered was the bar of pure chaos cradled in his hands. He had the leverage, he just needed to find his kin, and stall for time long enough to escape through whatever magic portal the Equestrians had created.

Turning a corner, Darneil continued to run as he approached the lab doors. Four human maids were cleaning idly as the guards shifted nervously, but upon seeing Darneil, the maids all drew guns, and fired upon the guards.

Gunfire awoke Field Note, causing him to bump his head off the top of his desk and startle Toast. Sticking his head out of his office, Field had only a moment to demand an answer, before the doors were thrown open and armed humans stormed the labs. Scientists screamed in terror as some of them opened fire, wounding anyone who dared flee. Jack led the humans, and fired on Aurora with his pistol, scorching her fur and dropping her to the floor.

“Everybody down! You!” He pointed at Field as he approached. “Project Fartouch! Where is it!?”

Field was stunned as Jack stormed toward him, and the other scientists were corralled and cajoled into a corner at gunpoint. “You… you psychopath!” Field screamed. “You've finally lost your damned mind!”

The baticorn gasped in pain as Darneil drove his knee into his chest, before pressing the barrel of the pistol against the back of his head. “Where is the lab!?”

Cursing himself, Field pointed to the back of the room. He swiftly found himself being forced toward the wall, wondering where the guards were.

“Open it.”

“Celestia is going to hang you for this, Jack. Why in the nine hells did Flitter choose you…” Placing his hoof against a certain section of tile, the wall suddenly indented, before sliding away, revealing a secondary lab, and a massive runed ring. “It doesn't even work! We need a power source!” Field blinked as the rod was pushed into his hooves. “No… you… you didn't! Jack, how-”

“I'm not Jack.” The disguise fell away, revealing the human changeling hybrid’s true form. His flesh was a pale grey, and large sections of jet black chitin covered him like armour. His green head frill quivered as he pushed the shocked Field forward. “Now turn it on! Every minute you delay, I execute one of your friends!”

“Bastard…” Field grit his teeth as he pushed the rod into the receptacle, and watched as the massive machine came to life. The rings spun back and forth, locking in the destination through means both magical and scientific. Energy arced across the titanium points, as a portal slowly began to manifest.

“Wonderful.” Lifting the pistol, Darneil leveled it with Field's head. “Don't need you anymore.”

As he squeezed the trigger, a shrilly defiant scream came from the side, as something small and angry tackled Darneil’s arm, throwing off his aim. Toast snarled and hissed as she clawed at his face, desperately trying to rip his eyes out.

“Kill this fucking thing!” Darneil yelled as he held the small human off of himself.

His blood pumped in his ears, as his heart beat like a drum of war. He was angry. So god damned ANGRY. All he could hear as he pounded through the halls was his own heartbeat, and bestial breathes. Up ahead was the labs, and two dead guards lay in the growing pools of their own blood. Jack ignored them as he crashed through the heavy doors, and carried on.

Time stood still as he saw the portal, Field at the console, the captive scientists, their captors with guns to their heads, and Toast grappling the bastard who led them all. The very same abominable hybrid bastard Jack had failed to kill in the changeling hive, come back to haunt him in his own skin.

A shot rang out, breaking the spell as Toast jerked back with a squeal, and fell motionlessly to the ground.

Darneil froze as a godly roar of anger shook the room, following the pounding of heavy boots. He lifted the sabot pistol, and aimed for Jack's face as he charged. Pulling the trigger, the ball of plasma exited the barrel, and washed over Jack's arm as he lifted it to protect his face. Darneil's smirk swiftly turned to a look of terror as Jack continued on. The gun finally buzzed red, signalling the battery being dead, long after the spike magazine had run dry.

Bullets began to dance off Jack's armour like annoying gnats, but they wouldn't stop him from killing the man before him. Slamming into Darneil, Jack grabbed him by the neck, and hurled him across the lab like a ragdoll thrown by an angered child. The other changelings let loose on him with their stolen rifles, but it wouldn't make a difference.

Celestia stood tall as she teleported herself, the strike team, and three squads of guards into the labs. Her breath caught in her throat when she heard the screams coming from the hidden lab. “Forward! Don't let them kill any more scientists!”

The teams charged forward, only to falter as a partial changeling corpse splattered wetly against the wall. The screams were only partially pony. Striding in, Celestia and her guards found a scene ripped straight from a nightmare. Severed limbs flew through the air as bodies were rendered beyond recognition. The scientists cowered under tables as the intruders were ripped limb from limb, bisected, and bludgeoned by the enraged machine of death.

“I surrender.”

Celestia looked down, and found the lead hybrid crawling toward her, one of his legs twisted and bent the wrong way. He held his hands up as he collapsed at her hooves.

“Prisoners have rights in Equestria, right?” His features twisted in pain. “I'll tell you everything, I surrender.”

“Coward son of a bitch!” Taven hissed as he pointed his rifle at the downed hybrid. Any idea of vengeance was lost as Celestia cast a shield over Darneil.

“That is enough!” Celestia yelled, ceasing combat. “Knight Captain Kessle, stand down!”

Jack ceased his movement, before slowly looking toward her as he dropped the mangled body in his hands. His eyes immediately went to the hybrid hiding behind her shield. Without a word, he began pacing toward the ponies and their prisoner. He couldn't hear himself think over the roar of the blood in his ears; his thoughts already jumbled by the powerful combat stimulant pumping through his veins like battery acid.

“Drop your weapons Jack.” Celestia spoke with clear authority as the guard spread out and began clearing out the terrified civilians. Her concern began to mount when his bloodied features twisted in fury.

“I'm not your fuckin’ dog.” He snarled at her as he finally looked up from Darneil. “You LIED to me. You murdered her. You. Murdered. My. Friends.”

Celestia pulled away ever so slightly as she met his unerring gaze. “What are you talking about, Jack?” She shook her head. “Nevermind that. You need a doctor.”

“Carolus probably broke his mind, Majesty.” Darneil forced himself to sit up. “I don't think he's sane anymore.”

Taven snarled at the changeling. “Shut the fuck up!”

Shaking her head, Celestia spoke levelly. “Everybody, please. There's no need for viol-”

The boom of Jack's fist slamming into her shield shook the room, as his titanium plates and drug fueled body shattered it like glass. His gauntlet wrapped tightly around Darneil's throat, allowing him to yank the imposter’s head through the hole he'd made. As those around him yelled in shock, and for him to stop, Jack rammed the double barrel shotgun into Darneil's mouth, and forced it down his throat. The twin barrel blast painted the shield red as Darneil all but exploded around the weapon.

The whole room went still as Jack pulled his weapon free, and gore slowly slid down the crumbling shield. Celestia forced her own shock down, but failed to keep her anger toward Jack at bay. “Jack-”

“You fucking cunt.” He snarled at her. “How long?” Blood drooled from his lips and nose as he squared up with one of the most powerful beings in all of the world. As she frowned deeply at him, he gestured harshly toward the active portal. “HOW FUCKING LONG!?”

“Before JSOG.” She answered quietly as the operatives around her looked from her, to Jack, to the portal. Her guards stood resolute, ready to defend her at a moment's notice. “Stand down, Knight Captain. This doesn't need to escalate any further.”

Nervously looking between the mounting odds that Jack faced, Taven took a chance and stepped forward, closer to Jack. “Jack, I know you're angry, hell, I'm furious, but this isn't going to solve anything.” He swallowed thickly. “It's not going to bring her back.”

“I know.” Jack growled lowly, sounding like a wounded dog. “I've got her brains all over me.” Taven flinched away and hung his head, no longer able to look at him. As Celestia lost a touch of her regal composure, he continued. “They tortured me, for days. Weeks. Months. I don't even know anymore.” He clenched his teeth as the combat stimulant cut into his brain like a knife. The fact he wasn't moving was agony, not fighting was torture all on its own. It took all his willpower to not lash out at Celestia right then and there. “You. Left me. There. Carolus, made Ada torture me. Beatings. Electrocution. Needles, under my nails, in my bones, digging and digging and TEARING.” Blood flecked from his lips as he slowly moved forward. “Petyr. Dead. Made a monster by Forge. Ada. Dead. Killed herself to get me OUT.” He shuddered at the memory of her hot blood splashing onto his face, but never once did he break eye contact with Celestia. “Your noble court. Dead. Traitors, giving Carolus a backdoor into your city.” He pulled in a deep breath that did nothing to steady him. “Your pale imitation of the REAL FUCKING THING.” He slowly began to smile a sick, demented smile. “Dead at your fucking cunt hooves.” His fists began to clench, causing the metal strike plates to groan in anticipation. “I've suffered this sugary hellscape, bore the wounds, lost friends, fought for YOU, bled for YOU, withstood torture, for YOU, and for what? For a lie, and more faces I'll never fucking not see whenever I close my eyes. Their deaths, burned into my fucking brain.”

With a look of genuine regret and pain cutting deep lines across her face, Celestia looked him in the eye. “Jack. For what it's worth, I am sorry-”

The crack of Jack's fist striking Celestia filled the laboratory, as all around them were dead silent. The silence lasted a single second after as Celestia's head whipped back from the force, and her guards leapt into action.

“STOP!” Celestia screamed, blood pouring from her mouth and nose. She glared at Jack with enough intensity to melt through a tank, her own anger finally having breached the surface. Her guards stood ready, and practically bayed for his blood. “This is your last chance, Jack. Surrender.”

Tossing the shotgun aside, Jack clenched his fists. “No more words, Celestia. No more guns.” He lifted his fists into a fighting stance.

Lowering her horn, Celestia snorted as those around her slowly began to give her space. “No more words.”

Landing deftly on the airstrip, Luna sighed softly as her lunar guard landed beside her, and began to cart off their equipment. Finally, she’d finished mopping up Imperial forces around Ponyville. Both Luna and her forces were exhausted, and looking forward to a well deserved rest.

It swiftly became apparent neither she, nor her soldiers would be getting any rest when the castle shook and solar guards galloped about frantically. “What in all the-” Luna jerked in shock when a beam of fiery magic lanced through a wall, nearly taking her head off. “Guard, with me!” Her horn flashed, taking them to the center of the castle, and the middle of a warzone.

Luna couldn’t help but pause to watch the battle that was unfolding before her, as Jack and Celestia fought tooth and nail with each other. Jack’s armoured knee slammed into Celestia’s chest, causing her to grunt in pain and the redirected magical blast to rip up the lawn where it struck. A balled up fist caught her across the face, and only served to make her angrier. Another blast from Celestia's horn sent him flying, smashing through walls and destroying thousands of bits worth of art. Not heeding the sudden presence of her sister, Celestia launched after him, intent on continuing the fight.

Another blast shook the castle as they met again, trading augmented blows and magical lances. Any thought of holding back was cast to the wind; their battled threatened to bring the castle down around them.

Shaking her head to break herself loose from the shock, Luna started toward the combat, before nearly running into one of her nobles, Lady Scratch.

“Princess!” Vinyl yelled. “You need to get these two under control before Celestia kills his stupid ass!”

“What in all the hells and heavens has happened!? I was gone for only a few weeks!” Luna trotted over to the much smaller unicorn as Vinyl sighed hard, and gave her the best recap she could. By the end, Luna was staring wide eyed at the conflict still destroying the castle. “This is most disturbing… I warned her. I warned her! Stay here, I will try to separate them.” Vinyl stepped aside, and nodded to Luna as the JSOG strike team rushed by, clearly intent on trying to do the same.

“YOU KNOW NOTHING OF THE HARDSHIPS I UNDERGO TO KEEP MY COUNTRY SAFE!” Celestia bellowed at Jack as she struck him with a lance of magic, melting the ceramic top layer of his arm's armour. The moment it struck the titanium, it faltered, and she ceased casting.

“What a relief it must have been to send somebody else to their deaths! So long as they're fucking HUMAN!” Jack snarled back as he ripped the chest plate off of a solar guard and used it to deflect another blow. He leapt forward, closing the distance to land another crushing blow upon the Solar Diarch’s hide.

“ALL OF YOU VOLUNTEERED! I DID NOT FORCE YOU!” The edges of her mane and tail were beginning to blaze brightly, the kind colours being consumed by the inferno of her anger.

“BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GO HOME! BECAUSE YOU LIED!” He head-butted her roughly, sending stars dancing across bother their eyes.

Without a second thought, Celestia drew her molten blade and fell into an ancient warrior's stance. “You had every chance to stop.”

Pulling out his vorpal blade and extending it, Jack span the weapon, before dropping into an amatuer stance that held more in common with martial arts than swordplay. “So did you.”

“STOP!” Luna bellowed as she galloped toward them, only to run into the shield Celestia erected before her.

“Be silent, sister. I'm teaching the human a valuable lesson.” Celestia hissed in anger as more of her mane and tail were consumed by flame. Leaping forward, the two swords clashed with a ground shaking clang. Drawing the blades off each other with a shower of magical sparks, the pair clashed again, and again, before Jack kicked Celestia in the chest and gained the initiative.

Attacking with drug fueled vigor, Jack saw Celestia fall into the defensive as he rained blow after blow down upon her, causing the roaring inferno blade to sputter and pulse with each blow. No matter how he struck or swung, he couldn't pierce her defenses. The moment she saw her opening, Celestia attacked back. Inferno claws erupted from her hoof as she launched forward, grabbing the collar of his armour. With a roar, she ripped the chest plate off, the chest plate she'd gifted him for exemplary gallantry. Upon contact with the titanium underlay, her claws all but shattered, though she no longer needed them to finish him off. She pressed her advantage, forcing Jack into a beleaguered defence as she swung and struck with highly trained precision. Each blow cost him dearly as his armour was slashed and melted away; his flesh under it blistered from deep burns.

With a flourish, Jack forced Celestia to retreat, or have her head cut clean off. His k-bar sword whistled through the air, before cutting a deep furrow across her forehoof. Growling and fighting through their pain, the pair coiled, before springing at each other, blades poised to kill.

The tip of either blade slammed into a shield, as midnight magic wrapped around their bodies, or in Jack's case, his head. “CEASE THY SQUABBLING!” The royal voice shook dust from the walls and ceiling as Celestia's shield was dispersed, allowing Luna to stride forward, still clad in her war barding. Jack's blade hovered mere inches away from Celestia's neck, and her boiling weapon was nearly pressed into his damaged chest. Both blades shook as their wielder tried to force them through.

“Sister.” Celestia spoke through clenched teeth. “Release me.”

“Nay.” Luna forced both weapons down and away. Jack's weapon clattered to the ground as he shuddered, his hands going up to the magic holding him prisoner. “I will not release either of you, for you are both acting like foals.” Placing her hoof on Celestia's bloodied chest, she slowly pulled the sun sword away from her sister. “Tia, you have won… there is nothing to fight over now. You have won, and it is finished.”

Slowly, the fires began to recede from Celestia's body, until her mane and tail hung limp and smoking against her body. “Lulu… He's-”

“He's not your enemy, and he is hurt in both mind, body, and soul.” Luna responded softly. “I told you. I warned you of this course. The consequences are yours and yours alone.” She turned away from her sister, and looked to Jack just as he collapsed to his knees.

“Just… fucking kill me already! DO IT!!” He cried out hoarsely as he slumped. Kneeling down, Luna pulled his ruined and bloodied face into her chest. As she stroked the back of his head, he all but deflated entirely. “I just want to go home…”

“I know Jack, and know that I am deeply sorry for what we have done to you… it is over now. Just rest.” Luna lifted his gaze to the nearby strike team, before beckoning them over with a mild motion of her head.

Taven and the others trotted over, though their numbers had surged with reinforcements from their own, and the Minotauren Pioneers. Moving up to Luna's side, Taven cast a sorrowful glance to Jack. “Ma'am? What do you want us to do?”

“Take him somewhere safe. Find Flitter. Have him healed and ready for a debriefing.” Luna looked to Celestia, just as her sister sat down heavily. “Sister, clean yourself and rest. I will see to things.” Without question, the strike team moved forward and collected Jack's ruined form, though they required help from Yuma to lift him up. As they dragged him out, Celestia trotted forward, before being cut off by Luna. “Sister, let it go.”

Celestia's mane hung limp and scorched, a testament to how close she'd gotten to the edge. “Please, Lulu. I must… I need to apologize.”

Without the energy to lift his head, Jack spoke to the floor. “Sorry… doesn't bring back... the dead… not all the sorrys in the world… I've tried… God knows I've tried…”

“Jack, please.” Celestia gently reached forward and lifted his head. “I am sorry for how badly you have suffered, and my abuse of you, and all the others… please, forgive me…”

“It should have been me…” He croaked softly as he closed his bloodshot eye. “Should have always been me…”

Author's Notes:

Not sure if I like how the end of this chapter turned out, but w/e.