Chapter 28- Rumble in the Streets

(Moonlight Shadow)

This is looking bad. Fancy guns or not there’s no way the three of us can take out this many cyber ponies. And that’s not even considering that giant metal pony thing. I may have no other choice left. But if I do it, there’s no going back. The experiment ends, and ‘Moonlight Shadow’ will be no more.

No, no, not yet. I’ve gotten used to this life. I’ve been able to have an existence I never thought possible. And then there’s Johnny… No. I’m not ready to give it all up just yet. Not as long as there’s even the slimmest chance that we can win. But then again, if it meant losing Johnny… well, then I really would have no choice.

(Ebon Shard)

How in Equestria did it come to this? I was a good cop. Not a GREAT cop mind you, but a decent one. All I ever wanted was to be someone my family could be proud of. Sunny Skies has been wanting me to quit the Watch ever since we got married. Get a safer job, she said. You don’t want Autumn Dusk to grow up without a father, she said. But how could I quit? Being on the Watch was everything I ever wanted. To help ponies, to protect them and keep them safe. And look how that turned out. Brainwashed and turned into a bloodthirsty killing machine. That bastard Dr. Double hasn’t even let me go see them in over a week. They are bound to be worried sick. And here I am, facing down an army of metal monsters with the greatest Agent that Luna has ever had, and some crazed detective in a living armored suit. Goddess, if I survive this, I’m putting in for a long, long, vacation. Somewhere sunny, maybe a cruise. Yeah, after all of this the least Agent Shadow could do is to send me and the family to Jamareca.

Yeah, like we have a hope in Tartarus of living though this. Sunny, Autumn, I’m out here for you. I hope you know just how much I love you…

(Johnny Appleseed)

“...all my love, Duskwind. Did you get all that Junior?”

“Aww geez Pop. That was so beautiful. I’m so proud of you.”

“Now, now. Don’t start crying. You’ll fog up our sensors. Just seal that away as best you can. And with any luck, somehow I may be able to tell Twilight all that in person.”

“I really hope so Pop. She’s one lucky mare.”

Heh. Yeah she’s lucky all right. Lucky she’s not here right now, staring down bright metal death. What to do? No way we can take them all. And I’m sure as soon as we fire the first shot that they will stop their nice orderly march and try to swarm us. Hmm.

“Hey Ebon!” I yell.

“Yeah?”

“Look, I need you to do something for me. You are, forgive me for saying, the least powerful member of our group at the moment.”

“Gee thanks. Care to say that WITHOUT your armor?”

“No, no I wouldn’t. Now shut up for a second and listen. When we run out of ammo, I want you to make a break for it in the puma. You need to get to the palace and warn them about what’s coming. Luna needs to get every member of the Watch she can muster as a last line of defense. Tell her what we are up against. Hopefully she can come up with a plan to defeat these things.”

“Plan? But Luna is a Goddess. She should be able to lay waste to these guys with barely a thought.”

“Yeah, well, it isn’t all that simple. You’ll have to trust me on this. Just go and warn them okay? We’ll stay here and hold them back as long as we can.”

Ebon looked at me like I was the biggest fool in Equestria. And with good reason I guess. Basically I had just told him that Moonlight and I were about to commit suicide by cyber pony. Nor could I explain to him how limited Luna’s response could be.

When I used my Omega rune, I briefly had all the knowledge and power a mortal pony body could contain. I saw how Celestia and Luna had to restrain their true powers just to be able to walk among us mortal ponies. There was a bargain there, made with other powers that I didn’t have time to comprehend. Although they were still the most powerful beings on Equestria, they could never fully use that power without dire consequences. This was why Celestia leaned so much on Twilight Sparkle. Twilight was an ‘ascended’ pony, much like Cadence. And as such had only a fraction of the power Celestia had. I had no idea just where the line was drawn with what Luna could, and couldn’t do. But I didn’t want to bet the lives of the entire city on it. So until I knew otherwise, I had to assume that this was a ‘mortal’ problem. And I was suddenly feeling very mortal.

“Junior, we have a minute or so before we attack. Chow down on anything you can find nearby, stuff yourself as much as you can.”

“Yessir boss!” Junior said formally, as he retracted his nannysprites from my body, and soundlessly detached himself.

Within moments he has begun to consume everything he could find. Trash, trashcans, a sidewalk bench, a light post. Then he started in on a steam bus. That should fill him up.

“Is this really the time to go on a feeding frenzy?” Ebon asked me wide eyed, as he watch Junior make his way through the engine and into the cab of the bus.

“It’s exactly the right time. Everything Junior eats will be converted to power our armor. The only other power source he has is to use the ‘life tap’ function. Which basically drains my life force, and coverts it to power. This not only wouldn’t last for very long, but would also kill me in the process if he kept it up. And Junior doesn’t need to be the one to kill me, when we have so many other eager volunteers heading our way.”

Ebon looked out ahead at the steadily approaching army, “Well, I can’t argue there.”

Suddenly a sound caught my attention. Or rather it was a lack of sound. The rhythmical marching of brass shod hooves that had been ringing in the background had suddenly ceased. I turned back to face the oncoming mass of cyber ponies. They had stopped their advance.

“Johnny,” Moonlight said worriedly, “why have they stopped marching?”

I was about to frame a response, something witty and clever I’m sure, but then, as one the cyber ponies began to raise their fore-hooves. Oh Shit!

“Moonlight, we need a shield, NOW!”

As fast as thought a dark inky bubble sprang up between us and the now silent cyber ponies. And not a moment too soon as the first row of them began to open fire on us.

“They stopped to attack us. First. Why?” Ebon asks, shouting to be heard over the thunder of high velocity rounds bouncing off of Moonlight’s shield.

“Probably because we are the only ponies stupid enough to be in their way, and also armed to the teeth.” I shout back. “Junior, get back over here.” I say, and then after he has resumed his place and coated me once more in armor, “okay everypony… Light ‘em up!”

The sound of impacts against Moonlight’s shield begins to lessen as we send streams of metal death flying into the first wave of the enemy. Moonlight is burning through ammunition on the puma, mowing down swaths of enemies. Ebon is slower and more methodical, but every round from his sniper rifle that I can see has found it’s mark as pony after pony falls to the cool slick asphalt. I am alternating between armor piercing rounds and plasma grenades. Keeping any ponies that have avoided my two companions from advancing any closer.

I have no idea how long we stood there like that. It could only have been minutes, but it felt like hours. Moonlight’s shield shattered three times, each time I was struck repeatedly by impacts that would have been lethal to anyone not wearing the armor I had. Each time though Moonlight found the strength to recast it.

None of us moved an inch. None of us faltered.

Moonlight was the first to run dry.

“I’m out!” She said, climbing down from the turret.

“Ebon, pass her your gun and get the Tartarus out of here!” I yelled back over my shoulder.

“Right,” Ebon said grimly. “You take good care of her Agent Shadow. I’m going to want her back when we’re done.”

“Buck the gun!” I scream, “Just haul ass while you have the chance!”

Whatever Ebon might have had to say in reply was drown out by the sound of explosions, as I lobbed one of my last three grenades into a group of cyber ponies that had tried to break through. Thankfully the next sound I heard behind me was the loud chuff of a steam engine as the puma sped quickly away.

Moonlight closed ranks beside me.

“Johnny, I’m dropping the wide shield. We don’t need it anymore. I should be able to maintain two personal shields around the both of us.”

“Forget it,” I reply. “Focus on just yourself. My armor can handle it, and once we get within melee range I’m sure the barrage will stop.”

“Right. If you’re sure. Any ideas yet on what to do about the big pony?” She asks.

“Goddess, I had hoped that YOU had come up with something. I’ve got two plasma grenades, and three BFG rounds that I’ve been saving, if we can just find some way past it’s shield...”

“Boss, I’m out of armor piercing, time to pull out the blades I’m afraid.” Junior says in my ear, at about the same time Moonlight drops Ebon’s gun.

“All right, time to do this OLD SCHOOL!” She says, donning her fist weapons, and dropping her bubble shield.

I turn and extend two saber-like blades from my fore-hooves, even as my armor begins to exude wickedly sharp spikes all over it’s exterior. I have Junior cue up my battle mix and have him play it though my internal speakers. As the opening beat of Kriss Kolt’s ‘Jump’ pumps into my ears, I leap forward.

“Legiones ad mortem!” I yell, and then I’m in the fray.

As expected, the cyber ponies had ceased firing as soon as we closed ranks. I had that heart stopping moment of fear, between when they ceased fire, and when the first reassuring punch rang against my armor. ‘Oh Thank Celestia!’ I thought to myself. They WEREN’T programmed to explode on impact.

Almost as if reading my mind Junior says in my ear, “See Pop, 89% safe. I’m now all but 100% sure they won’t explode until they reach the palace.”

“What do you mean all BUT sure?” I ask ripping my right hoof back out of the innards of the cyber pony I had just impaled, while ducking the brass fist of another.

“Well, since they DIDN’T explode on impact, there is now a 11% chance that Buttons was actually smart enough to install an override on the pony bombs. If that IS the case, then he could theoretically remotely detonate them from his giant pony-bot.”

“Those are the same odds as before!” I yell, decapitating the bot in front of me before stepping back out of swinging range of his two friends.

“Well, yes, but I’m still siding with the 89%. I’ve been right so far.”

“Yes Junior, and I’m sure you’ll be continue to be right, all the way up until the very end. Oh crap!”

This last I yelled because one of the ponies I had disemboweled had grabbed one of my legs and brought me down. These things just wouldn’t die. And to make things worse, his two friends came down on top of me. By the Sky Stallion! These things were HEAVY.

“Junior, fire the jetters! Full power, two second burst. Shake these things off of me.” I yell.

A moment later I am jerked five hooves into the air as the jetters kick in like a mule. The sudden vertical lift has shook me free of my admirers, even as a bullet passes though the space my head had occupied less than a second before, as I come quickly back down.

I descend as a lethal whirlwind of death as Junior spins me around rapidly with my blades extended, clearing me a momentary path as I land.

I risk half a second to look over at Moonlight to see how she is faring. I have to waste another precious half a second to stop and blink. There she is, standing atop a mound of cyber pony bodies. She waits there patiently until one comes within reach and then punches them so hard that their insides rain down on the ponies behind them. Ye Gods! Just how strong WERE those pummlers? An idle thought crosses my mind as I turn back to my own endless wave of foes. I wonder what battle music SHE would listen to?

(Moonlight Shadow)

“We are the warriors of the north, notorious and brave, We're old but strong as before, and we don't fear the grave...” I hummed to myself, as I sent another aberration to whatever afterlife such a thing can go to. Truly this ‘Amon Armoth’ must be one of the human world’s greatest bards. His songs are so... uplifting.

I look over toward Johnny just in time to see him leap into the air, shaking off his attackers. I spend a moment or two just watching, as I absently destroy yet another cyber pony. Look at him, so vicious in his attacks. Desperate, but still calculating. He is truly a hero among mortals. But his fixation on Twilight Sparkle...

Distracted for a moment, I am nearly struck by another attacker. I backhoof him with the remains of my left guantlet, shattering his lower jaw and most of his face. A pity about the gauntlets. They became no more than gaudy jewelry after the fifth and sixth attackers. A shame, they were actually quite strong, if not all that resilient. Still, as long as I wear what is left of them, I have an alibi for all the damage I am doing. And that makes them worth their weight in gold. Still, I must be careful, if I appear TOO powerful to explain away, the game will be up. Luckily Johnny is far too busy to pay much attention to me, this affords me a chance every now and again to ‘cheat’. A quick glance Johnny’s way assures me that he’s not looking my way and I punch my next attacker so hard that the concussive force takes out the two that were coming up behind him. Another quick glance shows me that Johnny was none the wiser.

Still I have to admire just how well he is doing. I know his armor is doing all of the heavy lifting, but the battle tactics and moves are all Johnny. It’s easy to see Celestia had been training him personally.

Thanks to his armor he’s able to pull off moves that only a princess could manage, especially considering the weight and strength of our foes.

“Nnngh!”

I allowed myself to be distracted again, and took a right cross full force to my muzzle. By the Sky Stallion, that actually hurt! Escrew that! I reach forward and grab the unlucky cyber pony in the chest. And I mean IN the chest. I reach inside it and crush whatever my hoof can find, then I toss his twisted torso back into the next attacker knocking them both to the ground.

I wipe the blood from my split lip with the back of my hoof. I’m not tired. Not yet. But we’ve barely taken down a fifth of their numbers. Hobbled as I am in this form there is no way we can defeat them all. We need to take out the one controlling them, but I have no idea how. The few shots I sent it’s way with Ebon’s sniper rifle disintegrated as soon as they stuck it’s shield. Just like everything else. We’ll never be able to take it down if we can’t even manage to reach it. I can only hope Johnny can come up with a plan before it’s too late.

(Johnny Appleseed)

Sweet Celestia, I hope Moonlight comes up with a plan soon, so far I got nothing.

“Boss we are down to fifty percent power. Just letting you know.”

Crap. Fifty percent already?

“Junior, how many cyber ponies have we put out of commission?”

“By my count, eighty-seven altogether.” Junior replies.

“Only eighty-seven? After all of that?” I say incredulously.

“Hey boss, considering just how strong these things are, eighty-seven for three ponies is unbelievably good. My calculations had us at around forty-five by this point in the battle. Obviously I need to readjust some of my parameters, especially regarding the battle effectiveness of Agent Shadow and her pummelers. She’s managing to do way more damage than expected.”

“Junior don’t make that sound like it’s a bad thing. We need all the good news we can get.”

I try to dodge yet another haymaker, but this time I am a fraction too slow and as the metal hoof glances off my helmet my ears ring momentarily.

“Junior, can you auto-pilot for a minute? I need to catch my breath.”

“Sure thing boss.”

I let my limbs go limp as Junior takes over the armor. He swings my body in precise methodical movements, maximizing the damage he inflicts on our nearest foes. This gives me a moment to catch my breath, despite the fact that my body is still being moved around. It was one of the hardest things I had to learn to do when fighting in armor. If I tried to do anything on my own while Junior was in control, I could end up moving the wrong way when Junior moved the suit and end up dislocating a limb, or breaking a bone. The key was to just stay limp, and trust that Junior could do his job.

“Junior, could you swivel the head, so I could have a look at the giant robot? And zoom in, say fifty percent.”

“Can do boss.”

My neck stays relaxed as Junior swivels the helmet around. My vision momentarily blurs as he zooms in as well. Buttons robot is still on course. Slowly making his way up the street. Soon we would be in range of his harmonic shields effect and would have to retreat or risk losing Junior to it’s sound.

I sat there, my fore-hooves flailing about as Junior took down my foes for me, and studied Buttons robot. The outer edge of it’s sheild had just made contact with a parked steam bus. I watched as it slowly dissolved away, his robot not slowing at all.

There must be SOME weakness to that thing, but what? That shield just disintegrates anything it comes in contact with, it’s the perfect defense. How am I supposed to... wait a minute. Wait just one bucking minute! If the shield disintegrates anything it touches, then how is able to freaking walk on the street?!?!

“Junior!” I yell, excitement tinging my voice.

“Yeah boss?”

“That shield on the big robot! It’s the same as the one on the cyber ponies domes!”

“Um yeah boss, I thought we had established that. Did you maybe take some damage from that last hit?”

“No you smart ass, I mean it’s EXACTLY the same as on the domes. The shield doesn’t cover them completely. On the cyber ponies it’s only able to protect the brain case, that’s why we’ve been attacking everywhere else. But on the robot pony it only goes down AS FAR AS THE GROUND! Otherwise it wouldn’t be able to walk on the street. The street would have dissolved on contact and he would have tumbled down into the Undercity!”

“Boss, you’re a genius! So what do we do? Blow holes in the street so it can’t go any further until backup arrives?”

“Oh no Junior, that’s much too kind. No, after all he’s put us through, I’m taking that metal hunk of junk DOWN, and I think I know just how to do it. Can you use your scanners to determine where that things generator is? If we can take it out the shield should drop.”

“Scanning now boss.” Junior says, still taking shots at cyber ponies left and right. “Boss, I’m detecting five different generators at five different locations. One in the head, one at each shoulder joint, and one in...ah... the rear.”

“Which is putting out the most power? Odds are that will be the one controlling the shield.”

“That would be the one in back. The four at the joints seemed to be used for movement and the one in the head is somewhat smaller than the rest. By contrast the one in the rear is the largest and has the highest output.”

“That has to be our target then. Wait a second. If it’s in the rear of the robot, is the exhaust port by any chance...”

{Sigh}, “yes boss, it’s exactly where you think it is. Ponies design their systems so anatomically.” He says in frustration. “It’s highly inefficient you know.”

“It’s a mammal thing. Not all of us have your ability to change into whatever you want. But on the bright side, this is the break we've been needing.”

I scan the area in the robot ponies path, and see what I was looking for.

“Junior, at it’s current rate of speed how long will it be before it passes over that ponyhole cover at the corner of Fourth Street?”

“Approximately three hundred and forty-three seconds, if it maintains it’s current speed.”

Goddess that was going to be close.

“Okay, give me back control, we need to get back to Moonlight.”

Junior stops moving for a moment and I resume control, slicing into the attackers in front of me as I shuffle back to Moonlight’s side. I point to a ponyhole cover behind her.

“See that? I’m going to have to leave you and Junior here for a minute and take a little trip. That robot’s shield DOES have a weakness! It only goes as far as the ground. I’m going to take a little trot through the sewers, come up inside the shield, and put it’s shield generator out of commission.” I say, explaining as quickly as I can.

Moonlight’s eyes widen in happy understanding. “Brilliant idea! But why just you? Why can’t we all go?”

“Well, Junior can’t go because if he gets too close the shield harmonics will cause him to lose control. The small shields of the cyber ponies pose no threat, but he can’t get too much closer to the robot anyway. Also, if they see us all suddenly gone, they might get suspicious and figure out what we are up to. We can’t take that risk. What I need you to do is momentarily cover us in darkness. That will allow me to slip out of Junior and down the ponyhole. Then Junior can continue fighting in my place. He wont be able to preform any complex maneuvers or thinking, but they should be none the wiser for as long as I will need. As soon as I’m inside the shield I’ll fire my BBG into it’s exhaust port, which should be close enough to the generator to blow it to Tartarus.”

“I understand. Sounds good. Once the shield is down we can take the fight to Buttons and end this madness. Just be careful Johnny. We can’t actually see the shield, if you get too close to the edge...”

“Yeah, I know, that’s why we have to do this fast. Junior you ready?”

“Yeah, but there’s just one thing you need to get off your chest before we do.”

I feign ignorance. “Why whatever are you talking about?”

“Oh please Pop! Giant robot pony, shooting it in the , um, ‘exhaust port’. You KNOW you have some terrible pun for this. Just go ahead and get it over with.”

“Well... I wasn’t going to say anything... but since you asked. You know how in all those cheesy detective stories, there’s always some ‘ex machina’ the hero uses to save the day?”

“Yesss,” Junior says carefully.

“Well I got Buttons ‘Plot device’ right here!” I say, hefting up my BBG.

“Oh by Celestia that was bad!” Junior says, shaking our head.

Moonlight, instead of facehoofing herself, headbutts the nearest cyber pony. “Just go,” she says, pretending to be mad.

I grin inside my helmet as she extends a bubble shield around us and fills it with darkness. I quickly scramble of of Junior retrieve my gun, and go down the open ponyhole before Moonlight drops the cover back in place with her magic.

I use my horn to bring light to my surroundings. The sewer level is directly under the streets of Whinnyappleous here, and below that the Undercity. The diamond dogs had been very creative when it came to working around sewer pipes and gas and water lines.

I wasted no time, quickly making my way forward to the third ponyhole cover in my path. I climbed up the ladder and peered up through one of the holes. I was just able to make out the form of a giant robotic leg passing directly over me. I didn’t have a moment to lose.

Adjusting the strap to my BBG so that it hung behind me, I used both of my fore-hooves to push the ponyhole cover out of the way. Or at least, that was the plan. The problem was, it didn’t budge. I saw the shadow of a second leg beginning to arch over me. I was almost out of time. I strained with everything I had, but the cover remained tightly sealed.

No choice, I was going to have to try my magic. Crap, this wont work, my magic has been weak ever since the accident, since that stupid surge...

Wait a second. Wait one second. Memories of when I used the Omega rune came flooding back to me. That had never happened to me! Those were Twilight’s memories! And if anything, her magic had gotten stronger! That never happened to me, those were all implanted memories! That means that my magic should be fine! I should be at least as powerful as any normal unicorn!

I flared my horn into life, and focused my magic on the steel cover above me. It shot into the air like a bullet, only to disintegrate as it struck the invisible shield above the robot’s hindquarters.

Quickly I scrambled out of the sewers, and took aim at the huge metal posterior slowly retreating in front of me.

I engaged the targeting system, regretting that I had already wasted my best pun. Still, there was no way I wasn’t going to offer up something...

“Assta la vista baby!” I shout, firing all three BBG rounds in rapid succession, and then teleporting back to where Moonlight and Junior were still fighting. .

“Moonlight!, make a shield NOW!” I shouted as soon as I appeared. Then I added one of my own, as strong as I could muster. My magic flowing smoothly from my horn. (Goddess it felt good using magic. If I survived today, first thing was to see what all I could still do without my runes).

From where we stood it looked as if the rear of the robot was discharging a huge amount of green lightning. And the the explosion occurred, the sound wave so strong it shattered all the glass in every building, bus, and car around us. The entire rear of the robot had been blown outwards from the blast. The upright mental tail was gone, as was most of both flanks, leaving only the edge of one cutie mark remaining. Both rear legs had been severely damaged, and as we watched the entire robot sat back on it’s haunches, nearly falling over. It was then that we noticed that the cyber ponies had all stopped moving.

“Did... did we win?” Junior asked? His suit form wavering and collapsing in on itself as his nannysprites returned to his pouch.

“T-that, wasn’t so bad.” Moonlight says, the remains of her pummelers falling to the street.

I gazed into the giant robot facade, trying to discern any sign of life or movement. All seemed quiet.

But then Junior spoke up.

“Boss... Pop... I’m detecting life forms inside the head.”

“Mercy and Buttons?” I asked.

“Yes, them as well, but Pop there are half a dozen others as well, that I swear just were not there before.” He said, sounding very strange. His voice a mix of surprise and anger.

“Ponies using some kind of stealth technology?” I asked.

Suddenly, several things happened at the same time. The cyber ponies that had all collapsed were suddenly struggling to their hooves. At the same time the giant robot rose up on it’s front hooves, the face opening up, and several figures emerged, and walked out onto it’s muzzle, gazing down at us in contempt.

“No boss, those are no ponies,” Junior was saying, but he needn’t have wasted his words. I knew what these figures were. We both did.

The largest of the figures, a good five hooves taller and broader than the rest, shouldered his way in front of the pack and glared down at me in hate.

“You have interfered with our plans for the very last time Johnny Appleseed! Now you shall DIE!”

I stood there, the cyber ponies forgotten. Even without being directly linked to Junior, I could feel the rage coming off of him in waves.
All of the hatred, and sorrow for all the lives that had been lost and twisted throughout this whole ordeal was expelled from my mouth with just one word.

“Wendigos.”

Author's Notes:

A quick note on Wedigos. Readers will have noticed that in previous chapters my depiction of Wedigo's have been parallel to our own mythology. In Algonquian folklore, the wendigo or windigo is a cannibal monster or evil spirit native to the northern forests of the Atlantic Coast and Great Lakes Region of both the United States and Canada. The wendigo may appear as a monster with some characteristics of a human, or as a spirit who has possessed a human being and made them become monstrous. It is historically associated with cannibalism, murder, insatiable greed, and the cultural taboos against such behaviors.
Readers will have noted that I have not made any ties or comparisons to the Windigo's canon to MLP which are described as winter spirits that feed off fighting and hatred; the more hate the spirit feels, the colder things become.
There has been a reason for that, and all will be revealed soon.